More Blogs from the Bog

Stephanie Grace talks about how much a pain boarding flights can be with a Louisiana ID because we don't have REAL ID (the headline suggests it is timely in the wake of Brussels attacks but it doesn't really elaborate on how. Grace writes that will all change). The big question here is: how do you afford air travel on a journalist's salary?

Republicans in the House have ended their drive to veto line item edits from John Bel Edwards in the budget cuts. Not that they had a change of heart, but the votes just weren't there. Or, maybe, it was that it might mean working on Good Friday and we can't have that!

Remember when State Treasurer John Kennedy went all angry American about the expensive art at the New Charity Hospital. According to Lamar White, Jr., he shouldn't be throwing stones at glass art when he leaves in a glass house - or actually a non-state owned office that costs us more money than one that is owned by the state. White has records that show Kennedy's office has at least $300,000 in art, including a Clementine Hunter piece. How about we put that up for auction and move you into a state office before we talk about expenses?

Looks like Burl Cain won't be heading back to Angola as an inmate. Two investigations cleared the former warden of wrongdoing. That's great for him, but I was kinda hoping to see him go back in and run the joint as El Jeffe, tatted up and giving the shiv to those who oppose him.

The hunt is on. Louisiana Voice reports that the FBI is investigating the Louisiana State Troopers Association campaign contributions to Louisiana candidates. Looks like they didn't contribute to the right fund.

Just how happy are we? The TodayShow came to town to answer that question. Cause, you know, we are the happiest place in the United States. Those happy people must have never tried to make a left turn on Johnston Street or exit the CVS on the corner of Verot and Ambassador.

The Senate Transportation Committee moved towards making our IDs complaint with REAL ID requirements. Now, there are a few more steps to take and we won't need to replace our old ones before 2020 but I feel like Steve Martin in The Jerk: The new licenses are (almost) here! The new licenses are (almost) here! We're finally somebody.

Who is bashing Bobby today? Why it's John Bel Edwards (via The Advocate)! The Advocate shows how much of Edwards' legislative agenda seeks to counter things Jindal did. Stop making the Hayride mad already.

We don't have a spending problem, we have an exempting problem. The Revenue & Fiscal Affairs Committee will look at some 400 or so tax exemptions for ones that need to be killed. The lede says it all: "Louisiana gives away nearly $1 billion a year from dozens of sales tax exemptions without state officials knowing the cost for each one."

With the budget not where it should be, public education is again in jeopardy of being hit with cuts. The $44 million in cuts we once thought schools escaped is looming again. This time, the Minimum Foundation Program is in danger. What is Minimum Foundation Program? Under this program, school districts get funding as a block grant. It is connected to how many students are enrolled and the cost of education each student - some $4 thousand a year. Cutting this is bad news. This isn't the same as when the $44 million would put standardized testing in a pinch. Speculation is that it will be teachers' salaries. This is money we can't afford to lose.

Uhm, this a mixed bag to say the least, but here's a compilation of things at which Louisiana is number one. There are some throwaways like crawfish production, but bright spots are included such as ACT gains. Too bad we couldn’t fill the whole list with things like that and, instead, had to turn to things like most bars per capita.

Remember how the world seemed to turn upside down when Democrat John Bel Edwards defeated Republican David Vitter? According to the 2016 Louisiana Survey by LSU’s Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs, it wasn’t such a big deal as there’s really not much difference between the Left and the Right in Louisiana. The survey says we agree on things like Common Core, minimum wage, TOPS and same-sex marriage. That’s the first good thing to come out of Common Core. How about we keep it around? Nah.

Hate is a pretty strong word, but The Hayride says The Advocate hates Bobby Jindal and references Tyler Bridges' piece about his future plans as evidence. The next day, The Advocate was back again it again with this piece by Stephanie Grace. Here's the thing: the media probably doesn't hate Jindal. But, you gotta call him out. Are we overdoing it on that job? Maybe. There's plenty of times I have skipped posting a piece about what he has done, figuring it beating a dead horse (like this piece of Bobby bashing in The Week). Nevertheless, Jindal is owed as much. At the same time, the dislike is compounded with the expectations and potential to which he didn’t live up. Even Grace calls him smart and notes he has a future, but also a past. And that’s the thing. Jindal can’t be allowed to skate on this us. We owe you that much.

The Hayride seems downright giddy that New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu lost his battle with The Lens and now must make public what firms are benefiting from city contracts. Chill guys, the monuments are still coming down.

Apparently, the financing magic Bobby Jindal worked to keep the budget passed on down the line "alive" during his time in office makes payday loans look like a good idea. What's the vig? About $231 million in extra charges to be paid by us. I wish I ran a big company so I could put him on the board. That guy knows how to run things.

Yeah, I get it. It's a pain having to commute to Baton Rouge, and you don't make that much - never mind the $157 a day allotment for expenses. But, how about instead of cutting services and raising taxers, we turn the Pentagon Barracks into private housing and make money off of them instead of renting them to legislators for cheap? If you don't like it, I don't know, move out the way and let someone take your spot in the office to which you were elected to serve (not to get perks).

In case you haven't heard the mainstream media's reports on protesters shutting down the roads leading to a Donald Trump rally: protesters shut down the roads leading to a Donald Trump rally. There's a Louisiana connection: the lead protester - who chained her check to the door of a van - lives in New Orleans (she is originally from Mexico). Man, I really wanted to hear what he was going to say.

The Daily Crawfish reports on officials using floods keeping Interstate 10 safe. While they are at it, let's flood Ambassador at Chick-Fil-A so people will stop parking on the road so they can get them waffle fries.

Why, back in my day you could depend on Buddhist monks to spout Zen like statements, reject materialism and destroy you in some martial arts, even if they had no legs. Nowadays, they roll them dice. Kids today are missing out.

There's a great deal of recapping what you already know about Bobby Jindal in this piece, but the last quarter is about his future moves. What will happen? Speaking engagements, seats on boards and - because he is young and we are so forgetful - re-entry into politics.

David Vitter and Bill Cassidy are on somewhat of the same page when it comes to President Obama's Supreme Court nominee. While Vitter rules out action, Cassidy says he would be down for a courtesy meeting but opposes voting on him. Well, that seems like a big serving of nothing.

Louisiana Voice cries foul over what the Advocate called a secret deal between Senate President John Alario, House Speaker Taylor Barras and lobbyists for LABI and the Louisiana Chemical Association over a tax break for manufacturing. Man, some people just don't learn. This is why you have a 15 percent favorability rating.

A new UNO poll details what Louisiana residents are thinking about the state of things in the state. For one, they are slowly changing their opinion about John Bel Edwards and remain negative on Bobby Jindal. In three weeks since the last polling, JBE's rating went from 34 to 43 percent. That is still pretty low but is still better than what they think about Jindal - nearly half blame him for the budget crisis. Both are whipping the legislature, which has a 15 percent favorability rating. In another poll, this one by LSU, 63 percent said the state is moving in the wrong direction. That's not really surprising. What's surprising is how did they find people who didn't think we are heading downhill?

On Monday, Mr. Peanut's Nutmobile was spotted in Catahoula. There was very little info given on this and there's even less to support it on the Nutmobile's website. Nothing else has come out of the story. Either it is the weirdest stop on its tour or someone coming out of Red's Levee Bar saw a tan RV.

Daryl Dixon/Norma Reedus from the Walking Dead was in Lafayette Wednesday. That is a fact. Seen it on the Facebook (watch that hand son, she's a badass judoka) . But, what he was here for is a different story. The Daily Crawfish gets the scoop.

Do you feel safer already? Clay Higgins has signed on as a reserve deputy marshal for the city of Lafayette. Don't get too excited: Shaq has a similar post and I don't see him out fighting crime. I guess the good news is he is not out there going solo vigilante on bad guys.

The Saints have signed James Laurinaitis of the Rams. The linebacker helped put the Rams over the Saints the last couple years in some really ugly games on our part. Bonus: he is the son of Road Warrior Animal!

Louisiana Voice points out that the qualifications for a six-figure state job is not what you know but to whom you are married. Oh, and the job has been unfilled for five years, meaning we probably could have gotten by with it being vacant during our time of cuts.

John Bel Edwards has already started fundraising for reelection, turning to a once-enemy for some dough. Political action committees linked to the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association and the Louisiana Chemical Association joined forces to throw him a fundraiser. Don Briggs, the president of LOGA, said it is a no-brainer as, "He's governor." While it is very early, he's got the right idea: if Edwards doesn't pull us through this budget gap with minimal taxes and cuts, he will need every penny come 2019.

With public defender offices across the state too broke to function, we could face tremendous legal fees down the road as convictions are overturned and appealed. That's ok, that is a problem for another day's budget and we love to kick the can in Louisiana.

The Advocate says that if the special session was a play on Broadway, it would get cancelled. Instead, it gets another run via the regular session.According to Stephanie Grace, John Bel Edwards will have a tough role to tackle. And there's no understudy. I think I'd rather watch a Broadway musical ... and I hate Broadway musicals.

According to Jeremy Alford, the regular session will not just be politics as usual but a referendum on Bobby Jindal and, specifically, his education reform. Notes Alford, “These bills have the political gunpowder to launch mini-wars that would pit the right against the left and business against unions.” So much for hugging it out.

Bill Moyers called out Bobby Jindal specifically as one of the things that led to Donald Trump's acsension. This goes against the theory expressed by Jindal that Obama created Trump. Meanwhile, in Jindal's daily here's-what-I-think report, he says voters want politicians to know that they work for us, not the other way around. Can you please tell us again how you were working for us while stumping in Iowa?

Looks like more taxes are on the way. Yesterday. numbers were released that show Louisiana still faces a deficit of more than $70 million in the current budget cycle and will fall some $750 million short in the coming year. Most legislators say this can't be overcome without more taxes.

Not everyone is hugging it out: Rep. Valarie Hodges of Denham Springs spoke to Moon Griffon about the nastiness she says she faced for refusing to vote for tax increases. Legislators not being upstanding human beings? No way!

If you were wondering what got applause and what didn't in John Bel Edwards' state of the state speech, here's a handy break down. According to this both sides like bucking Washington, D.C. trends and gaining local control of education. Equal pay for women, not so much.

Oh, Bobby Jindal. Here, The Raisin says Donald Trump is fine with big government as long as he is running it. Please. Stop. No one really cares what your little Raisin head thinks about the Donald. Then again, at least he is not trying to lend a hand to Louisiana.

John Bel Edwards wants to hug it out too. In his state of the state speech, he called for unity and played to the crowd using Louisiana's uniqueness. One thing he also called for was rail service from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. Look, that would be neat, but - if it involves any state money, even if there is a federal match - let's focus on righting the budget and fixing the basics before we get all Tokyo Bullet Train.

Forget the Fifth Amendment, forget due process, there's a budget crisis. Forget the old saying that if you commit a crime, be sure you can afford a good lawyer. Now, in Louisiana, be sure you can afford any lawyer because one will not be provided.

The flooding in northern and eastern parts of our state is experiencing is bringing back Katrina and Rita memories. It is so bad, Some areas (but not the ones above New Orleans where it is needed as well) have been declared disaster areas by President Obama. Let's see, budget crisis, economy in the toilet. higher education in jeopardy, no money for public defenders, taxes going up and now flooding. What more can go wrong? That's a rhetorical question, please don't answer it.

Louisiana Voice's Tom Aswell uses an arrest for falsifying records to jump into the cuts that have been made under Bobby Jindal's time in office. He has an email from a Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services supervisor who says things are far from up to par. It points out drive-by checks on foster homes conducted without stepping into the home. Aswell provides numbers on the program's deficits. To say the least, it doesn't look good and likely will not get better in our time of cuts. Maybe workers could be replaced by nanny cams? That sounds like top quality care, eh?

Now that the budget is (not) done, the regular session is upon us. What's in store? Oh, not much other than protection for gay marriage opponents, some stuff about nonhuman primate service animals, limiting the amount of money state agencies can use to buy sculptures. You know, the usual.

Not to make light of this case of domestic abuse (or cases of habitual and life threatening domestic abuse by comparing them to this), but in Eunice a piece of pepperoni pizza was used to assault a woman during an argument. Scratches and threats of stabbing were exchanged, cheese and pepperoni was stuck to her head and she was taken to a hospital for a burn to her face. Both parties were arrested and the police chief gave the quote of the year: “That squabble got a little saucy." As for me, I'd allow my wife to hit me in the face with a slice as long as it has extra pepperoni and my mouth is open.

The question of which was worse thing to happen to the state - Bobby Jindal or Hurricane Katrina - is posed here, but never really examined with cold hard facts. Look, Jindal screwed us but has yet to be responsible for a massive amount of people losing their homes or lives. I think we can settle this one pretty easily.

Mother Jones weighs in on our budget crisis, using it as an indictment on fossil fuels. It's true that it's not best to put all your eggs in one basket - read: 1980's oil bust - especially when that basket is so tumultuous due to outside influences, but their green agenda is clearly showing. The smart money is on being smart - using what we have, reigning in spending, diversifying and taxing where appropriate. Don't count on the oil industry to save us when prices turn back around and don't count on our "leaders" to learn from their mistakes. Do count on oil to continue to be a big part of our economy for years to come and for some people to have a big problem with that.

This fantasy piece dreams up what an encounter between Donald Trump and Bobby Jindal (and later Trump and Vladimir Putin) would be like if the Donald takes the election. The headline promises a laugh, but all I can think about is "it's only just a dream, it's only just a dream."

If you are anything like the people on my Facebook feed, this is more important than the budget crisis. Brace yourself: Cajun Sno is almost ready to re-open. Meanwhile, what happened to this long winter we were supposed to have?

According to The Hayride, Donald Trump will actually get less delegates from Louisiana than Ted Cruz, despite Trump's win in our primary. The Hayride has a screen grab of a Facebook rant from one of Trump's people and a chart that shows why. Hmmm, is this actually a win for our delegates system? Maybe this is why the Founding Fathers invented things like the Electoral College - to save us from ourselves.

According to this report, what we already knew is still true: access to healthcare sucks in Louisiana. Or maybe it doesn't suck as bad as we thought. According to this we are the 25th worst state for access to healthcare. In case you went to school here: there are 50 states; we are 25th; we are right in the middle. So, if you think about it, we are the 25th on the list for the best states for healthcare access. That really doesn't make it any better, does it?

It's unanimous: SAVE is dead. The act - passed by Bobby Jindal for his no tax resume - was refuted with a unanimous vote (that means all) in the House and Senate. Gee, Bobby, that should read as a message

The drama. The last minute passes. At least one person in tears, another saying we could have done more. Knowing this will all repeat itself. It's not a post game conference from the Saints – it’s the post special session report. There's almost too much to digest and comment on but we are going to do it any way. One good - or bad - takeaway is that education escaped without cuts. The proposed cuts to education would have impacted state testing - making PARCC tests and the ACT impossible to accomplish for schools. Had that happened, many people would have been happy. Now, vouchers might be impacted, which is to the delight of John Bel Edwards. LSU's fall football season has survived the cuts - which is important because so many people in this state base their self-worth on the success of the Tigers. Despite the cuts and revenue raising, there is still trouble on the horizon. The budget cycle is not fixed and could see a $30 million hole in the current cycle and an $800 million in the cycle starting in July. For me, the whole drama of arguing back and forth and then a close finish is indicative of the partisan politics that plague us. It also reeks of drama for the sake of drama. This is a show legislators put on for us. A shell game to win voter support. Here's a simple equation: do your job, do what's right for this state or get out of the way.

After Peyton manning's big news this week, Drew Brees tweeted a pic of two QBs from 1998. #TBT #totallynotataNSYNCconcert In other Saints news, Ben Watson has agreed to a deal with the Ravens. Watson was a standout on the field and off - authoring a poignant book about race relations. He is a loss in terms of player output and leadership.

The measure David Vitter wants to take to stop non-citizens from sending money out of the country will slap a fee on those transactions and use the money gained to pay for border security. This site scratches its head and ponders the question of is that accidentally a bill to pay for Donald Trump's wall? This is just what we need: A Vitter-Trump alliance, accidental or not. How long until Vitter is out of office?

Ever wonder what happened to that guy from Lafayette who did that "Cupid Shuffle" song? Yeah, me neither. But here it is anyway - he almost got gored by a bull at a rodeo in Texas. But, thankfully, he was able to shuffle out of the way. Thank God! Had he been killed we would have had infinite repeats of that song as we mourn him. I just can’t take that right now.

Contrary to Bobby Jindal’s idea that Obama created Donald Trump, this piece says that Louisiana’s Republican support of Donald Trump is owed to Bobby Jindal's failures. Ken Levy notes that voters see Trump as a non-establishment candidate and that a vote for him is "a vote with the middle finger." No, that's not what we said: we want give Trump the finger not vote for him with it.

BESE is at odds with John White over a report about the costs - or savings - associated with the state's voucher program. If you are a voucher fan, this is not going to be good news: the board refused to accept a report provided by White's agency that claimed the state saved $23.6 million by providing vouchers for students. Instead, a different take says the state would save $8 million by having those voucher students in public schools. With the budget like it is - and John Bel Edwards not a fan of the program - this almost certainly spells change for the program.

Last night was the deadline for the special session. According to this Times-Pic report, the governor and legislature said they were close to making a deal to fix the budget. What's their definition of close, though? For you and me, it is a few dollars short of buying a pizza this weekend. For them, could that equate to millions of dollars short? (Here's another look at the back and forth on the issue). I feel like we will be saying "more on this budget crap tomorrow" again and again. Prediction: this isn't the last of the special sessions we will see. I hate it when I am right.

Donald Trump's New Orleans visit featured a new wrinkle in his security detail. Security agents now are dressing in plain clothes and going into the crowd to assess protesters and help uniform security remove them. Gee, this in no way can end badly can it?

After Peyton Manning's retirement, the NFL tweeted an infographic showing the players who have caught touchdown passes from Manning - all league-leading leading 539 of them. One Saints’ fan made a slight correction - adding the game clinching pick 6 from Super Bowl 44 to the list.

Stephanie Grace compares the current presidential election to a governor's race we sure would like to forget: the 1991 contest between David Duke and Edwin Edwards. Grace offers ways the GOP candidates could battle back against Donald Trump. But alas, isn't it already too late? Could you have offered this a few weeks - or months or a year - ago?

From the land of Obama, columnist Phil Arvia says he gets Bobby Jindal's Obama-created-Trump logic, as they are opposites. Locally, he could use Louisiana as an example. If you go back in Louisiana history you will find cycles of boring reformers following outlandish, flamboyant corrupt characters who followed boring reformers. It is a cycle of opposites (John Bel Edwards and Jindal much?) or a chicken and egg sort of thing. Arvia also calls Jindal a human Pez dispenser. That’s pretty good.

The Eunice Police posted on Facebook that they found some weed. Is it yours? If so, you can claim it at the police station. Be sure to bring your photo ID. Jokes aside, someone somewhere is contemplating how to pull this off.

OMG! An additional sales tax increase that is being supported by Republicans like Taylor Barras? Someone buy me a Powerball. Ok, I can't afford one, at least get me a scratch off. (Meanwhile, the House sipped at a booze tax. Now, the Senate has a choice to abstain or indulge.)

Bobby Jindal's claim that Obama created Donald Trump's popularity ranks on this site's vilest Right Wing moments of the week. They go as far as asking for his Rhodes Scholar status to be revoked. Look, that's a good idea but that's not even near topping the list for why he is, as the site says, a complete moron.

Louisiana Voice goes back for seconds on Jeff Sadow, this time taking aim at his claim that John Bel Edwards is the reason Moody's lowered our credit rating. Tom Aswell says Sadow may have a PHD behind his name but he's just not that bright.

The Washington Post looks at Ted Cruz's near victory in Louisiana. What factor pushed him up in the polls on primary day? Could it be people realized there was no hope in Donald Trump? Or could it be Cruz's Duck Dynasty endorsement? I hope not - taking political advice from a guy famous for making duck calls is pretty sad and indicative of what's wrong with our state.

Man, man, man. I get it. You want to test yourself. The Warrior Dash isn't enough. Escape from Angola. Sure, what could prove your mettle more to your Crossfit bodies - hey why haven't you updated your status about today's WOD, bro-ham? - but, seriously? Who thought this would be a good idea? Sleeping in the old death row? Winning the keys to the prison? This ain't a game son, this is Angola.

Bobby Jindal penned a piece for the Wall Street Journal, asserting that Obama created Trump. It is an interesting theory, broken down into an abridged version here. So how about it, Obamanationers, do you still hate the man who created the man you love?

Well, you did it, didn't you? You went all Trump on us. Congrats on electing Hillary Clinton. Oh, what? You didn't know? Yeah, that's right. Trump can't win this thing. Nope. It is just not happening. Trump can't court the independent voters needed to swing the election. (Some polls say other could have, but you don't listen to polls do you?) Don't believe me? That's fine. It is still true. Don't like it? You have eight years to fix it.

Bayou Buzz puts it like this: "John Bel Edwards, Louisiana legislature still at odds while victims plead." And they are right: the people of this state are victims. The Buzz tells about parents of special needs children speaking at the Capitol as legislators wiping away tears. You should cry. This is your fault. Yes, it notes, the oil crisis is a severe factor here, but you did this to us. Compiling reactions from the crisis, the Buzz goes beyond the reporting in newspapers and shows the human side of this mess. We are halfway done and it is not halfway fixed. As one Twitter user - displayed on the Buzz - puts it: "If they're more concerned about their job security than the future of their state, they shouldn't be in office."

Louisiana Voice takes aim at Louis Ackal, the Iberia Parish sheriff. Noting the beatings and deaths in custody over there, Tom Aswell says it is hotter than a Tobasco pepper on a fever blister. That's kinda like a Tabasco pepper right? (Sorry, he corrected it and that was my only joke about the piece. Seriously, WTF Iberia?)

By now, you've probably seen the footage of Chris Christie, standing behind Donald Trump, looking like he was trying to solve some Common Core math. Stephanie Grace weighs in on just what was he thinking and provides an update about Bobby Jindal's activities these days. Cause you so wanted to know. Me, I think Christie just realized he left a sandwich uneaten somewhere.

Who's primary is it to win? Who knows, as no one has paid any attention to us as we don't matter. True, this Advocate piece argues that we have more impact than we once did, we still don't have enough delegates to swing the thing. Also, here's an announcement exclusive to this page - because of high voter turnout predicted, Republicans who are voting for Donald Trump may do so next weekend. Everybody else, go this Saturday.

It ain't no Us Weekly but this site - the McKenzie Post - claims Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are looking to move to Breaux Bridge. Errybody on the internet - locally - is talking about this. That is some encouraging news - yeah, not really as who gives a gerbil's sphincter - until you check out the site's contact page.

Another study shows Louisiana is at the bottom of the list when it comes to women friendly states. It points out lower median earnings, less preventive health care and fewer female-owned businesses plus high rates of women living in poverty and a high female homicide rate WalletHub put us at No. 51 (that's dead last) in Women’s Economic & Social Well-Being and two notches up in Women’s Health Care & Safety. And this news comes on a Thursday - they just ruined Ladies' Night.

Calling out factors like high crime rates and poor healthcare, Louisiana ranked as the fifth worst state for retirement (not to mention it's hot, the study says). With our economy, who has time to plan for retirement anyway?

Charles Boustany is accusing the Obama administration of forcing offshore refueling sites to fuel federal helicopters against their will and is calling for investigation. Look on the bright side: maybe they will have to buy more gas and this will drive up gas prices. Probably not though.

Clay Higgins did a phone interview with KPEL and told his story - not just about his resignation, but about how he became Uncle Clay. From a big money business man who was a bad dad and husband to joining the police force in Opelousas. For his fans, the humbling interview is a must listen. Meanwhile, family members of the Gremlins gang are at it again. This time, they claim there is no such thing as the gang. One civil rights activist - John Barnett - claims they are being denied due process. But, who are you going to believe; the cops or Barnett, who thinks we have counties here in Louisiana?

Louisiana Voice features a guest column by an associate professor at SLU who take issue with Jeff Sadow's claim that Louisiana ranks above the national per capita for spending. Michael Kurt Corbello says that is not just fuzzy math, it is not math at all. He claims Sadow, columnist for the Advocate and a professor himself, is just making numbers up. Unethical journalists in Louisiana? Get out of here! Say, did I ever tell you about the time John Bel Edwards stole candy from my baby? Happened.

Now is the time to buy that thing you've been Googling - you know the one that ads for keep showing up in your email and on every site you visit because you haven't changed your cookie setting. The state is looking at imposing sales taxes on internet purchases. The only bright side is that it might help local businesses compete. Tell that to me after I buy this go-kart online.

Although this Advocate piece says early voter turnout is high, it really isn't. Some 100,000 voters have already cast their votes in Louisiana. That's half as much as early voter numbers in the governor's election - which was open to include any party affiliation. Secretary of State Tom Schedler predicts that 20 to 25 percent voter turnout. While this is good for Louisiana, it is a joke. What a state we live in where we are proud of 20 to 25 percent! That's an F on any grade scale!

JR Ball goes after the budget again, this time railing against the money we don't collect because of exemptions. Who is to blame? Lobbyists. Yup, its always the lobbyists. That and the legislators they bend to their will like sunflowers to the sun.

With about a $200 million gap still in the budget, John Bel Edwards is pounding the pavement for help, calling for the support he was given while running. However he is not looking for it from the state treasurer. JBE went after John Kennedy, who has been going after JBE, accusing him of wasting state money on his office when he could save by bringing his staff into state owned buildings.

I was really excited when I read the headline atop this piece that said Donald Trump is as American as Huey P. Long. Could this piece tie Trump to Long, thereby turning conservative voters away from the sideshow trap buffoon vote diversion unelectable candidate that he is? There's a lots of stuff here, including an anecdote about Long and Franklin Roosevelt and a drive-by comparison between Long and Trump, but it really falls short of what I wanted. Look, Trump has no real shot in the November election. If you really want a conservative to win, pick someone who actually has a chance - anyone but Trump.

LSU President F. King Alexander says that the budget scare over Tiger football is not as empty a threat as some are making it out to be. If LSU cancels summer school, he says the NCAA will make half of the football team ineligible for fall play. Somehow, this will all be Les Miles' fault.

The last contractor to publicly sign on to remove New Orleans' Confederate monuments had his Lamborghini torched. Now, the city has removed the names of potential contractors to do the job from a web site. Yeah, that's a pretty good idea. In other news: man, that city ... SMH

Donald Trump blames a very bad ear piece for dodging a question about David Duke's support for his campaign. Trump said he didn't know anything about Duke when asked about him on CNN's "State of the Union." (Meanwhile, experts say he will take Louisiana in our primary. Great!) Bad ear piece? What about that terrible hair piece? Who do you blame for that?

Dead Pelican breaks out of its role as news aggregator to news maker - reporting that last year Jay Dardenne - then our lieutenant governor - spent $1.1 million on sculptures for the new Charity Hospital in New Orleans. Jay, there's a lot better ways to spend 7 figures on Charity Hospital. Like, I don't know, services?

John Kennedy is just a pain. This piece looks at how the treasurer has often butted heads with governors. Could this have something to do with all the failed runs he has made for Senate? In his defense, at least he is a bi-partisan pain.

Louisiana Voice's Tom Aswell appears to be the topic of a letter sent out by the Louisiana State Troopers Association. It accuses him of a lack of ethics. In response, Aswell puts together 15 points to make about the scandals plaguing LSTA and how it is not his doing, including the hiring of Senate President John Alario's wife and son. Tom, that's great but just didn't get pulled over.

The Cajun John Wayne is no more. Capt. Clay Higgins has resigned from his job with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Department. But, chances are you will see him down the road. Let's face it - people love Higgins. (except for criminals and their families). (Oh, excuse me, alleged criminals.) Someone is going to cash in on that. Has Donald Trump selected a running mate yet?

Don't think Bobby Jindal failed us? You should read this about a project for IndyCar that Jindal thought would bring $100 million into the state. (if you already know how badly he screwed us, don't read it: you may not be able to handle it.) He put tax payer money into it and guess what? It was a bust. Further damning, during the process of funding it, funds for the developmentally disabled were cut so we could make the track a reality. Even worse, it drops this bombshell: "Every year, the state gives away millions of dollars of money just like this to events, projects with little analysis." Yes, we have a spending problem. Now, we have a tax to fix it. Want to fix it both? Vote them out.

Here's a breakdown to the taxes that were passed through the House last week. There's also link to who voted for and against them - in case you are sharpening your pitchfork. Also, here's a piece that says it wont be enough. Keep grinding, guys.

If the US ends our embargo with Cuba, it would be a boost to Louisiana's economy. According to this piece, the port of New Orleans used to be the number one port for doing business with the land of grilled and pressed sandwiches. Opening up our trade could impact our economy via more agricultural and petrochemical exports and increased tourism. Don't tell Obama. He might just shut this down as it would only benefit us.

In the wake of Moody's Investors Service's credit downgrade to the state of Louisiana - not just the eight universities but the state, which impacts us when we borrow money - Treasurer John Kennedy has some interesting comments. Kennedy said he was assured the agency would give the state and new governor a chance and not move our rating for a few years. Really? Cause that's what you have done in John Bel Edwards' two months in office, right? You have given him and our fix to the budget a chance? Get your talking points straight. For a look at the implications of the downgrade, check out this Advocate piece.

On Saturday, John Bel Edwards called Bobby Jindal the most irresponsible governor to ever serve - or dis-serve - Louisiana. If you know your history, that's a rather profound statement. Somewhere, Richard Leche must be smiling.

Saints Tight End Ben Watson was interviewed by The Source - if you don't know what The Source is, congrats: you are white - about his book and some of the things he has said on social media about race relations. He drops science like this, (in regards to things like Ferguson, Missouri) " ... whenever these things happen, people get broken down into a Black side and a White side, always drawing a line down the middle and it’s not always that simple."This guy is good. Not just for this team or the city but the country. Read this.

David Vitter is still in office, y'all. And he wants people who send money out of the country to prove they are citizens or pay a fee, which would be used to finance border security. Has Donald Trump selected a running mate yet?

People are talking about the possibility of marijuana being legalized in Louisiana. Whether or not that will happen is one thing, but this column says even if it dd make it into law soon, it wouldn't come in time to close this year's budget hole. I guess we should have know: people who smoke the ganja aren't known for being on time.

Um, what happened to public education being off the table for cuts? Oh wait, these $44 million in cuts to public education would be used to plug holes in TOPS and possibly cripple the state's ability to give Common Core tests and force high school Juniors to take the ACT. So ... errrybody wins?

I don't know what makes me feel older: liking something Walt Handelsman did or knowing the 1960s song he parodied in this cartoon. Either way, the Advocate's cartoonist revamps "Me And Bobby McGee" to be "Busted Flat in Baton Rouge."

The national daily distraction involving the Apple vs FBI hits home as CBS looks at a Louisiana case where a pregnant woman was murdered and her locked smart phone might hold clues. This one is a toughie, or maybe not - the privacy of a dead woman vs catching her killer. If something ever happens to me, please feel free to hack my phone. You won't find much other than about 600 pics of my kids, notes that might mean something only to me and the dimensions for my air conditioner filter. Better yet, no, don't open it. This is one issue that seems to unite Liberals and Conservatives. Let us rejoice in this one moment of unity ans use it to distract ourselves from all that we should be thinking about.

Last week, Pamela Anderson suggested Louisiana's prisons go vegan, a move she says would save the state some $620,000 a year. Arizona did the same and Anderson goes to the prisons to cook for inmates. She says she would do the same here (I'm sure the prisoners would have liked that like, say, 20 years ago). While the state's correction department says no thanks - prisoners were ticked when we took away their cigarettes, let's not make it worse by removing meat - they should reconsider. Think about how much of a crime deterrent this would be: if you go to prison you have to be a vegan!

John Bel Edwards accused John Kennedy of using our budget issues as a way to further his Senate campaign, or, as the Advocate puts it, Edwards is "ratcheting up" their feud. Uhm, you just noticed this JBE? You might as well enter the race because John Kennedy is running against you even though you aren't even running. Looks like we know who is going to main event Wrestlemania.

Bad news: eight Louisiana universities were placed on Moody’s Investors Service watch liat for credit downgrades because of higher education cuts. Good News: it was only eight. Good News to Us: UL Lafayette was not on the list.

Remember how Bobby Jindal gave all those tax breaks in the name of attracting business to our state? And how he said it would all pay dividends in end? Yeah, that was wrong. A survey by 24/7 Wall St. puts Louisiana as the second-worst state in the nation for business. So, like that kid who tries to hard to be your friend, we may be business friendly but apparently no one wants to be friends with us. (On the other hand, this guest editorial says our tax incentives have brought us business.)

The flap up about Capt. Clay Higgins' Gremlins video continues as Sheriff Bobby Guidroz has asked Higgins to tone it down. Sheriff, you don't cuddle with Higgins - you strap yourself in and feel the Gs!

Sheriff Newell Normand may have just started his bid for governor. The Republican ripped Bobby Jindal to pieces, calling him a better cult leader than Jim Jones. Normand takes on the Republicans who blame John Bel Edwards - one month and half into office - for our mess and whine about Obama. He notes the problems we will now face because leaders have pledged to not raise taxes and says to hell with Grover Norquist. Lamar White posts his entire speech. It is a great read.

While everyone was running for cover from Tuesday's storm, Louisiana's Ways and Means Committee sent 31 bills to the House for a vote. Today, that vote will happen. This could be the crucial moment in our budget crisis. Will taxophobic Republicans balk on passing new taxes or will they bite the bullet to ensure there is a state in which to seek reelection? This piece gives a rundown on the issues that were forwarded - pointing out which ones the committee saw as favorable and which ones they saw as unfavorable. Here's another thing that makes today important: this Advocate piece estimates that the special session is going to cost us $1 million. If it doesn't work, there will be more sessions and bills (and deeper cuts and more taxes?). Do it right the first time and there never has to be a second.

This blog looks at who was the bigger bust: Brandon Browner or Jairus Byrd. Surprisingly, it picks Byrd. Yeah, he had injury issues that stopped us from getting the most out of him but who hurt us more on the field? Meanwhile, news is breaking that the Saints will part ways with Marques Colston.

A writer for The Lens notes that the recent scare concerning TOPS makes middle class folks feel what it is like to be from a low income family (in New Orleans). And, the given the earning power of college graduates, (especially when it comes to low income students) it is akin to de-funding primary schools. In Other words, It's really bad.

Louisiana Voice continues to fight the good fight against the leadership at the Louisiana State Police. Tom Aswell says sheriffs' relatives are hired as investigators, where they are paid more than troopers with more experience and given promotions and raises faster than non-connected troopers. One sheriff's son got about $8,000 in raises in his first year. Aswell says it might be the reason Louisiana Sheriff’s Association supports Col. Mike Edmonson, LSP's commander. Cronyism in Louisiana? Nah. Couldn't be.

Early voter turnout reports are showing that people aren't getting it over with before the big day. And, we have hired extra workers for this. Here's a thought - make all voting early voting. It would probably save us a few bucks and it's not like we actually vote anyway.

You know what's a great idea during the times of a budget crisis? Paying a guy to not work while replacing him and paying his replacement. That's what we will do as Burl Cain steps away from Angola. True, it is nothing illegal but it is a practice that needs to be stopped. How this practice has continued for as long as it has is why he have problems with money in this state.

The Hayride says to get what he wanted in terms of schools, John Bel Edwards should have gone with a Republican for speaker of the House. It argues he should have backed Lafayette's own Nancy Landry. Stepping across party lines is great, but I have a feeling that no matter what JBE would have done, The Hayride would have pooh-poohed it.

Participants (or partici-no-pants) in Cupid's Undie Run raised $28,000 for the Children's Tumor Foundation, dedicated to ending Neuro Fibromatosis, by having a one mile run through New Orleans in their underwear. Don't worry: this story is totally SFW.(and like 95 percent not people you want to see in their drawers). Maybe we can have 32,000 more of this to solve the budget problems. That's a whole lotta drawers.

After seeing the video about the Gremlins street gang, the accused criminals' mamas and grandmas went to KATC complaining about how Capt. Clay Higgins said he would return fire on them if they raised a weapon against him. They also say they will write a letter to the Justice Department about it. Thanks, Granny, you just ruined our street cred! Now we are going to have to change our names to The Critters.

Ugh. One lawmaker wants metal detectors mandatory at movie theaters (why not make them mandatory everywhere while you are at it?). A man in a coat caused a stampede at The Grand (not the site of the shooting) by pacing and muttering to himself during a showing of Deadpool (maybe he was upset by the laziness of breaking the fourth wall). Vigilance is great and all, but hysteria and paranoia are the first steps to a police state. Oh wait, the first step is actually having Donald Trump as a top contender for preidency. He's got a campaign office opening across from the other Grand, y'all.

Probably the only thing making Bobby Jindal smile right now is that one freshman senator brought the Bible into the budget crisis and prayed for Jesus' help in the mess. That smile probably turned upside down when Rep. Beryl Amedee chastised the lawmakers for the bad job they did putting us in this mess. That kind of talk makes baby Bobby cry in his manger.

John Bel Edwards: "Hurry up, Rumpelstiltskin, and spin that hay into gold!" House Speaker Taylor Barras: "Be patient! It takes time to fix the problems we made for ourselves!" Us: Don't come out of your holes again until you have this fixed!

Bloomberg Business looks at John Bel Edwards' threat of no LSU football in the fall with a good bit of depth into the budget crisis, examining bonds, credit ratings, oil prices and the like. We all know we are in a mess, but this is the most economically intensive look at what caused it.

That GoFundMe effort to pay off the budget gained a little credibility as one legislator proposed a bill that would allow such donations. So far, it has only raised $590 out of the 900 million we need. To put things into a sad perspective, the GoFundMe for Kanye West's $53 million debt has earned more than $7,000. However, unlike the state - which apparently will now take crowd funding money - West says he won't touch the money. So, Louisiana 0, West: 1. Just shoot me.

Stephanie Grace says SAVE is dying and no one will care. What did it do again? Oh, yeah, it was a bullet point on Bobby Jindal's presidential resume. Hmmmm, so it was worth less than the nonexistent paper on which it wasn't printed? Yeah, die a quick death please.

Jeff Sadow calls out John Bel Edwards as taking political hostages in the budget crisis.Meanwhile, a Pennsylvania paper says their governor should come out blazing and being blunt about cuts and hikes to fix their budget woes.

In the face of budget cuts, one Louisiana couple looks to divorce so they could get better coverage for their child with a severe disability. How's that family values thing working out for you, Bobby Jindal?

Louisiana Voice points out that Troy Hebert didn't do so hot in 8th Grade Social Studies. On a radio show, Hebert - running for David Vitter's senate seat - says Huey P. Long invented our civil service system. No. Just no. Civil service was created and expanded by later governors in response to the jobs Long gave to his supporters and cronies. Next, please tell us about the time Edwin Edwards only served one term as governor.

Capt. Clay Higgins has a lot of fans but the ACLU is not one of them. After Higgins' latest Crime Stoppers video - the one where he dons full battle gear and a gun that would make Charlton Heston blush - the executive director is taking issue with Higgins' statement that he will hunt down the Gremlins - that street gang out of Abbeville that now appears to be moving into St. Landry but only because someone fed them after midnight. Marjorie Esman of the ACLU says we don't hunt people in this country. Really? You don't catch Dog: The Bounty Hunter in your ivory tower, lady? He's not hunting them for sport, he's hunting them because St. Landry is the wilderness. This is Clay Higgins - he says ma'am and sir and he keeps planets in orbit, son. If the Gremlins - like the one Higgins says he could dumbbell press (that's with one hand, folks) - are smart, they won't make Higgins hunt them ... they'll turn themselves in to authorities. However, one former Gremlin - Gizmo, who helped start the gang - says Higgins has it all wrong - they have gone straight.

The Times-Picayune also started a series on how guns make it into the hands of criminals in New Orleans. This installment looks at three stolen guns that became weapons in three separate crimes. It's a good read that begs the goes after the often ignored variable in the gun control argument: stolen guns. Though they only account for 10 to 15 percent of guns used in crimes, the role they play can't be ignored.

The TImes-Picayune started a five part series by looking at potential changes to the state's income tax structuring. It's a thorough piece that breaks down the ups and downs of changing the system, written in common sense language that doesn't require a translation from someone fluent in 1040-ese. Still, it is hard to say at this point whether or not your refund check will shrink.

The Hayride has "Bad Blood" with Taylor Swift's actions at the Grammys, saying something or another about how she cheered for other people when they won an award. It argues that her behavior is why sexism "Never Goes Out of Style." The blog goes on and on and on, dissecting it in excruciating detail, like a look back at a bad break-up that makes you say "We are Never Getting Back Together." I tried to read it and get to what he was talking about, but frankly crazy makes my head hurt. Why does he have to be so "Mean?" He makes as much sense as someone who is "15." I'm sure Swift will be able to take this criticism in stride and "Shake it Off."

The Native Americans of Isle de Jean Charles - subject of Pudd Sharp's Water on The Road - recently became the first community of official climate refugees in the nation. The Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw residents have been living on what used to be a 22,000 acre island for generations. Now, at only 320 acres because of coastal erosion, it can not accommodate them. They will resettle with federal help. Wow, so the federal government is aware that Louisiana is fading away? Are you sure?

Bayou Buzz pulled no punches when it asserted that Bobby Jindal raped Louisiana and John Bel Edwards - oddly identified here as Jon - is getting thanked for it via recall petitions. I'll take another metaphor: Jindal wrecked your car. Totaled it. Distracted driving and such. Edwards is the repair man. You don't like his bill but you are OK with the guy who crashed it. Sure, it isn't pleasant but this is what happens when you run for president while driving in rush hour traffic. Don't you wish we had insurance?

This is great. Opponents (including a lawmaker who owns convenience stores) of the cigarette tax - which would raise the taxes on cigarettes by 22 cents a pack - says it is unfair to smokers and might make them cross state lines to buy smokes in Mississippi, where the taxes are lower. Really? You would go into Mississippi for 22 cents? That's a sign you have more problems that smoking. On second thought, I guess gas is pretty cheap these days …

The Times-Picayune has a double whammy on TOPS. First, there’s a great look back at the even greater man who started the program to reach kids so many had forgotten about. From diamond jewelry to arriving in a helicopter, Patrick Taylor wanted to grab kids’ attention so they could see it was possible to be successful just like him. The piece follows the plan from its initial 183 students to what it is today: the tuition lifeblood of perhaps too many college students. Why too many? The Times-Pic also posted a fun web doohickey that allows you to look up TOPS recipient percentages by school. Looking at it for a few local schools, the numbers were in the 50-60 percent range. Perhaps this is why the program requires so much dough: it might just be too easy to get. Do 60 percent of the kids you know in high school deserve a scholarship? Better yet, do students with a C average deserve a free ride? Sorry, no.

Louisiana Voice says lawmakers who are upset over the squawking done by higher education officials might want to keep quiet. here Tom Aswell notes that one senator making the loudest noise - Sen. Conrad Appel - profited from what amounts to insider trading. Others have used campaign funds to buy LSU tickets - about $710,000 worth of seats - despite it being unethical. Great job, guys. You sure are making us proud. Tell us again how we should be quiet about being critical about the mess in which you have put us!

It's bleak times. In effort to do what media is supposed to do - oh look something about pandas - every day you will see a story here that is just that: a distraction. Some days, it will have ties to this great state, some days it will be - oh, look kitties - bull crap. Today, it's this: here are two lists that Drew Brees will not see himself on - the most overrated Saint list and players cut by the Saints. The Saints are expected to reach a contract extension with Brees. Meanwhile, one of those lists of the most ____ players of all time featured the most over-rated player in the history of each team. Who was it for the Saints? Not telling you, but here's a hint: he used to hold a Heisman Trophy and a Kardashian. USED TO.

How bad are the looming cuts? So bad a high school student can tell you that the future of higher education is on shaky ground in Louisiana. Johnathan Jones, a wide receiver out of Evangel who comitted to Louisiana Tech, has now de-committed citing the recent budget cuts colleges are looking at making. Well, why else would he not want to go to Tech? It's soooo much fun. All kidding aside, could this be a harbinger for problems in schools across the state? Will the top-rated recruiting class at LSU suffer because of this? That's what's important in this state, right. LSU football? Maybe somebody should fix this mess.

Not to brag, but I actually had this idea the other day. Someone has started a Go Fund Me page for Louisiana's budget crisis. It's sad that it came to this, but it is even sadder that it is some $899 million from its goal. So, we are struggling but these freeloaders got paid? (At current, the same amoutn that has been raised for us has been raised to save someone's relationship. Let that sink in for a minute.)

Speaking of bad math, turn out the state misused, misspent, misappropriated or is missing millions of dollars. (That's more misses than a polygamist sect.) I'm sure someone is going to pay for this. Here's a hint: it's you and me!

John Kennedy is wrong in his assertion that our problem is wasteful spending, asserts Lamar White, Jr. Here, White caught Kennedy in some of his numbers. White points out that some of the issues Kennedy made hay over was actually uncollected fracking revenues. Nice catch! Now, can you do my taxes?

A new poll is out and it is not good news for John Bel Edwards, yet it is not as bad as it could be. Out of those polled, 34.2 percent gave him a favorable rating, while 44.8 percent gave him an unfavorable rating (21 percent said IDK). These numbers aren't good but a week after the TOPS/Tiger football bombshell, they are great. John Kennedy on the other hand, took a 48 percent favorable rating, putting him at the top of the Senate race. It's not clear if the 21 percent who said IDK thought he was JFK.

Apparently, Saudi Arabia and Russia have more sympathy for us than our president. According to reports, the two oil producers have agreed to freeze their output. This will help stabilize the oil industry. Unfortunately, it will not pick up prices at this time. For that to happen, the oil supply must drop. I guess this gives you another reason - other than low prices - to top off the tank. Keep on driving us back to the black, America!

Just make it stop already! Bobby Jindal's administration used some fuzzy accounting and payment plans to keep the budget can kicked down the road. Not to mix metaphors, but the chickens have come home to roost and they aren't laying eggs. This debacle pushes our budget situation up another $231 million. Oh, and if that is not enough, FEMA is now saying it will not be sending us $17 million for reimbursements we spent during Hurricane Gustav. That money pushes up the deficit again. Sometimes, I feel like this show called Louisiana is in its last season and the writers are just piling on the cliffhangers and disasters to shake us up and get ratings.

Here's a case of who are you going to believe - higher education officials or the legislators that put us in this mess? Two senators - Conrad Appel, R-Metarie, and Mike Walsworth, R-West Monroe - lashed out at higher education officials for reacting to the budget cuts in a way that they say dominates the news cycle. They shrugged it off, noting it was only day one of the special session. Officials from Nicholls have said maybe - just maybe - the schools will have to shut down for two weeks in light of the cuts. These two legislators have a point: we should just trust in them and have faith they will work this all out. Hmmm, isn't that how we got in this mess? Here's a clue you don't even have to buy: stop worrying about the news cycle and do your job!

After the Louisiana Republican party created a commercial urging against John Bel Edwards raising taxes - citing campaign trail promises - Lamar White, Jr. is calling them suicide bombers. They - he says - are willing to blow up the state in exchange for the dogma of "No new taxes!". The commercial is interesting: they do realize he is in office and won't be up for reelection for four years, right? And, if anything, his tax hikes guarantee him being a one-term governor. Seriously, stop making home movies and do your job!

I guess this is what we get for making fun of Obama's Baton Rouge/New Orleans gaffe. The president is urging a repeal of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act that would give Louisiana the bulk of $500 million in coastal funds generated from offshore drilling. According to this Advocate piece, the White House says it should be repealed because it is “unnecessary and costly” and only benefits a “handful of states.” Wow. The budget is a disaster, our coast is fading and now our aid is "unnecessary." Thanks, Obama, you are the best.

Would the real John Bel Edwards please stand up? JR Ball argues that JBE has an honesty problem. But, even he admits that tax hikes are the only way out (coupled with cuts). However, he calls out JBE on what he sees as taxes with no end date, saying that he wanted to up taxes - and keep them up - before getting elected - you know, just for the giggles of it. He also asserts that JBE is not really in love with cutting spending. Edwards, however, is trying to convince you otherwise. Look, I am not one to stand up for politicians. They lie, they cheat, they steal. It's in the rule book. And, I am pretty ticked about the whole raising salaries deal. But, what sane person would come into office looking to hike taxes and cut spending (TOPS of all things, the one programs conservatives love)? Is this is the case - keeping taxes up after our situation is repaired - JBE doesn't need to bother changing his address: he's heading back to Amite in four years.

Budget woes aren't just for the legislature. The offseason will be about cutting and capping as the Saints try to stay under the league's salary cap and repair our broken team. This blog says free agent Roman Harper (recently cut from the Panthers) could come back to the saints. Um, no. Just no. Meanwhile, a part of the salary cap problem is in dead money. This post looks at the players we no longer have but have to pay.

Before, you could have argued that Lamar White, Jr. wasn’t necessarily a fan of John Bel Edwards. He was, however, decidedly anti-David Vitter. Now, he’s praising Edwards on his own merits, particularly his Sunday speech about the special session to fix the budget. He’s definitely not in John Kennedy’s camp, as he blasts Kennedy’s cut-the-budget plan as not enough and one that uses old figures. Maybe a selfie is in orde

Louisiana Voice is totally over Bobby Jindal (yeah, not really) and has moved on (but, not really) to blaming those legislators who signed a tax pledge. He’s also calling to remove Taylor Barras and demote Cameron Henry to the kiddie table (yeah, really).

It's not all bad news today, as the Advocate reports that technology jobs are giving a boost to the economy in Lafayette as the oil and gas jobs fizzle. In the long run, we could see more than a thousand jobs created here. But, who is going to fill them if TOPS goes ka-put?

Will TOPS survive this budget crisis? Hopefully, the answer is yes. If it does, it will likely undergo changes. Currently, students can maintain a C average and make a 20 on the ACT and get funded. That's too low. C grades are - by definition - average. Now, by allowing average students to get TOPS funding, we have sacrificed funding for the ones who deserve it. Next year, students may need to score a 28 for TOPS. Look TOPS is great, college is good. But both aren't for everyone - no matter what Bernie Sanders says. Trim TOPS to ensure it will continue. We need this for our future. If you don't qualify, there are other ways to pay for college. It involves planning and now.

#louisianalegislators were sent #valentines via #twitter during the #specialsession. Some offered #praise for @John_Bel_Edwards and scorn for @Bobby_Jindal in the form of #poems. My #favoritetwitter handle is @JohnJelEdwards who says he got pumped up for the session by #biting the head off a live #nutria and listening to @Dr. _John. He also offers a how-to guide for making a @John_Kennedy doll using a dried up apple. #cantmakethisstuffup #justdoenmyjob #hashtag #

When John Bel Edwards dropped the nuclear bomb of all bombshells - even if it was a Chicken Little moment - that LSU football might not happen next year, you knew there would be a reaction. Here's a couple fan quotes. These are actually the tamest you could have gotten. The fine folks over at Tiger Droppings aren't as kind, even banging the Recall Drum (and offering one of the Evil Twins to lead the effort)

The Times-Picayune looks at the budget crisis and the Public Affairs Research Council's strategy to stabilize it. It's a good look at the report's highlights. How about we forward it to every one "working" at the Capitol?

Can I get a second on this proposal to fix the budget? How about we take it a step further - elected officials should forgo their pay until this is fixed. Don't want to work for free to fix the mess you have made? That's fine, I am sure there are plenty of folks willing to step up and fill your spot.

When John Bel Edwards spoke Thursday night, the only winners were the Republicans. The sound you heard after the speech was the 2019 election being called for a Republican candidate. Don't like it, JBE, you have four years to fix things and serve a second term.

t this long without hearing about John Bel Edwards' speech or the TOPS fiasco, thank you for journeying into another galaxy to save us from the blight Matthew McConaughey. It's all I heard about no matter where I was, what I was doing or who I was with this weekend. Louisiana Politics has the highlights and screenshots. Stephanie Grace says it was scary. Lamar White, Jr. called it a Jindal Hangover. Before he even spoke, The Hayride called for his recall. Louisiana Voice says not so fast, it is Bobby Jindal you need to attack. When he said LSU football may get the ax, even Mississippi State felt sorry for us.

If you are one of the folks who were ticked off by Beyoncé's Black Panther themed Super Bowl performance - did you catch that? - you aren't alone. But, here on the other side, an African American/New Orleans native takes issue with Queen Bey's video for "Formation," saying she is appropriating New Orleans' suffering for her own gain. Can't say that I saw her on the Super Bowl - the halftime always reminds me to take out the garbage.

When you think of Livingston Parish, surely you think of science, right? Einstein's gravitational wave theory must come to mind when reflecting on that stronghold of intelligence that contains Denham Springs, Walker, Springfield and the like. No? Think again, as a facility there - in conjunction with one in Washington - has proven the existence of gravitational waves. What does this mean? Other than being cool enough to get a Twittter shout-out from Stephen Hawking, we are not really sure. Something about space-time and the like. It's all very scientific and above our pay grade.

When David Vitter lost the election and announced he wouldn't run for re-election and Bobby Jindal dropped out of the president's race, it looked like there wouldn't be much to fill these pages. Then, along came Troy Hebert and his bid for Vitter's senate seat. Here, Louisiana Voice reports about Hebert investigating - or not investigating thoroughly - a bar after one of its patrons caused a fatal accident. The accusation? He turned a blind eye because he is tight with its owner. Thank you, Mr. Hebert. We look forward to your next move.

How well did Bobby Jindal do in the New Hampshire presidential primary? Considering he was no longer running, pretty bad. With 50 votes, he tied with a guy we never heard of - Tim Cook, who shares the name of the CEO of Apple. He has the same name! Yeah, this is a stretch of a piece. Being that Jindal spent $1.4 million on his race, that comes out to $28,000 per vote. Well spent!

Does Louisiana matter in the presidential primary? This editorial says it matters just as much as that pickle on the side of a roast beef sandwich. Sure, it is going to be consumed, but would you even mind if it were left off? If you think that it doesn't matter, you are right. We don't. Who cares, though? Well, you should as the only way to fix our problems - an eroding shoreline, a withering oil economy - is to matter in the 2016 election. Demand the pickle!

There's good news and bad news. It sure sounds bad that Louisiana's education system scored a D on a recent report. But, it's not too bad as no state scored higher than a C and we were among 30 to score next to failing. So ... way to go?

With Donald Trump in the state, you know he will likely sample the local cuisine. Irony alert: that seafood he's going to eat was probably processed by guest workers - the immigrants Trump is campaigning against.

In case you just woke up from a Mardi Gras debauchery hangover and/or a king cake induced coma, there was a football game on Sunday (or maybe you just watched the uneventful contest and blacked out). It pitted Louisiana's own Peyton Manning - who is apparently either an alcoholic or owns Budweiser distributors - against Cam Newton. It wasn't their game at all. Instead, the win belonged to Denver's defense. However, Newton did some antics that earned him scorn and discontent and some great memes. Some media and social media pundits claim it was racist that he was criticized. Nope, we just don't like Cam. Why not? A) He is a division rival. B) He celebrates every minute accomplishment he makes. Not only that, he does it by doing juvenile dances that are popular among juveniles. That's fine for the wide receivers, running backs, defense backs, etc., but you are the quarterback. You are supposed to be cool. Act like you have been there before. Be a leader. Seriously? Have you ever seen another QB act like this? No, they are on the sidelines planning the next drive. Normally, I'd say ignore Cam and he will go away. That would be a lie. We are stuck seeing this guy - whether dabbing when he makes a two-yard gain or throwing a tantrum when he loses - at least twice a year in divisional play. Maybe he will pull a Marshawn Lynch and get out early. We can always hope for next year, right?

Last week, it was Rebel Flag beads. This week it is the Spanish Town Mardi Gras. Known for its controversy, the Baton Rouge parade took it to another level this year, using the names of two black men killed by police as fodder. Sure, the parade isn't for everyone, but there is a line. You crossed it.

Good news, guys! Looks like Brandon Browner is soon to be an ex-Saint. Browner hinted to his release on Friday but the Saints have not made anything official. Thanks for the memories! Go set penalty records elsewhere. Maybe with the Panthers. We could use a boost when we see them next year. In related news, he is not the only Saint to get his walking papers. If one Saints fan has his way, it is just a good start.

At first, our Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry and our Democrat Governor John Bel Edwards looked like they would be able to work together. Now, not even a month later, that bridge is crumbling. Edwards said he doesn't think the state should continue a lawsuit over Common Core, but Landry didn't see it that way. JBE claimed the case was a bit of political posturing on Bobby Jindal's part (Jindal filed the suit) and says it might be the same thing from Landry. Now, it has gotten petty: both men referring to each other by their first names instead of their respective titles. Ouch. It might just turn into an Alexandria Mardi Gras up in here.

New details have been released in the shooting death of Victor White III. Video shows White in handcuffs and capable of moving. Deputies say he remarked that he didn't want to go to jail and to tell his family he loves them. His brother says he was carrying a gun that matched the one that killed him. His family, however, is not buying it and says they will continue to seek justice.

If there is something to be upset about regarding an election, Jim Brown will be there. This time, he's pointing out how useless our presidential primary is and how valuable it could have been had we gotten it in before Iowa's. He estimates big checks could have poured into the state and even gives candidates some stopping/stumping points. (Donald Trump at the Hi-Ho, that's gold. Never picked him for the sauce on a bun type, though.) Instead, we have to settle for not mattering at all in the presidential elections. Oh well, I guess we should be used to it by now.

This is a good idea. Really. Not only would it work for anyone attending the game but can you imagine the boon to our economy? This USA Today column - for the FTW! section (I will let you Google what FTW means) - argues that all Super Bowls should be held in NOLA - and even offers reasons why. This guy, I like. Next time you come to the city, we party. I know a place.

Could changes to Common Core be on the way? If the Louisiana Student Standards Steering Committee has its way, the state's curriculum will be in for a makeover. The 26-member committee - made up of parents, teachers and the public - voted to revise Common Core standards. Now, it has a ways to go but that roar you just heard was the sound of students and parents alike celebrating what could be the beginning of the end.

John Bel Edwards is saying he won't cut public schools - K-12 - to offset our budget issues. Really? How could you cut something that has nothing to cut? Oh wait, I know of some state education officials whose pay you could reduce or eliminate. Ok, that's fine. But here's the really rocking thing about this piece: in the comments, someone pointed out how much Jay Dardenne looks likes Napoleon Bonaparte. Yeah, it is there, but he REALLY looks like the guy who played Bonaparte in the epic masterpiece, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Just how low is the price of oil? KPEL lists five things you can buy that will cost more than a barrel of oil. And, it's not diamond rings and caviar dreams. This is basic stuff - like king cakes. Seriously, a barrel of oil costs less than a king cake. Not even a boudin king cake or a king cake made with diamond sprinkles. A frickin' king cake. Guess we know what laid-off oilfield workers will be eating to bury their sorrow.

After folks howled about John Bel Edwards' staffers' paychecks, Jay Dardenne - JBE's top guy - says he will cut some staff pay. Dardenne, if your pay is among them, we salute you. If not, don't eat any food gifts from your staff. Just sayin'.

According to this report, Lafayette lost 5,000 jobs last year while Baton Rouge gained 8,800. In the mining and logging sector - which includes oil and gas - we lost 2,800 or 12 percent. Professional and business services dropped 2,100 jobs or 9 percent. All right, everybody with a job stand up. Not so fast, Jimmy.

Some people shouldn't have kids. And by that, I mean Mary Landrieu. Her son - Frank Conner Snellings - was arrested after his 2-year-old son was found with bruises and scratches on him. The two had been to a birthday party. When Snellings returned the boy to his mother, the tot was shirtless, bruised and scratched; Snellings appeared to be drunk. (Must have been quite a party!) We already know Mary knows how to get down.

Cuts to higher education are going to hurt students, no doubt. This Advocate piece looks at another victim you might not have seen coming: Louisiana sugar cane farmers. The LSU AgCenter helps farmers because there is no for-profit agency developing seeds for the crop. If the AgCenter takes a hit, it could be bad business for the farmers who are already suffering from a rough year. Edwards - speaking to a group of farmers at the American Sugar Cane League conference in Lafayette - said, “The state of Louisiana is in one of the toughest spots it’s ever been in. There is no sugarcoating it.” It's nice to see Bobby Jindal's staff joke writer was able to keep his job.

David Vitter may be lame - some people do like him - but he is not going out as a lame duck. Vitter is going after Congress for exempting itself in a matter regarding ObamaCare. And you thought he had given up.

The Hayride says it likes a new Facebook page and (maybe) even liked it on Facebook. Dubbed Don't Blame Me; I Voted for Vitter, the page has a whopping 100-plus likes. If you can't tell from the title, it doesn't like John Bel Edwards but does like David Vitter. I might like it on Facebook to keep in the loop for all its news and such, but I don't necessarily like it in real life - it really hasn't provided me with anything I haven't, like, seen elsewhere. The Hayride would like to see some DBM;IVFV bumper stickers popping up around the state. Like that is going to happen!

In case you haven't heard, there is some kind of football contest coming up this Sunday. The media is in full football bloom and here we find the best trick plays in Super Bowl history. The Saints Ambush play - an onside kick to start the second half of SB 44 - made the list. Yay! The Saints! Maybe next year?

Neutral Ground News, a satirical web site, has been investigating Mardi Gras. First, the Krewe of Parents threw 436 tons of crap cleared from their houses. Now, we learn the sad fate of king cake babies: about 750,000 king are orphaned every year. One local bakery is preaching king cake abstinence. We can't make this stuff up ('cause they already did!)

The biggest parades haven't even rolled yet and there are already headaches at this Mardi Gras. The Times-Pic reports on a black child catching some Confederate flag beads. The Hayride says it is much ado about nothing, because - you know - the comments on the article said so. Note to self: next year do not attend the Mystic Krewe of Northern Aggression Parade. I wonder if it has a king and queen or if it is all the royal fools? At least they aren't in black face like that Zulu parade. Those guys are insensitive.

On Monday, an audit of the Department of Veterans Affairs was released and it called out David LaCerte, alleging he gave a nice contract to a classmate and bought himself (or his staff) a tight SUV. There's other allegations too, but LaCerte is calling them all garbage. The audit says he knows about garbage - as his staff shredded documents that would have painted an unflattering picture about his office.

Bobby Jindal's presidential campaign ended with no money and no deficits but cost $1.4 million. What did all that money go to? Here's a break down - it is mostly consultants and travel. Not too bad, eh? That is one budget he managed to balance. Holdup, wait a minute, Stephanie Grace says. We are the deficit.

Louisiana Weekly puts a name to the figures of ALICE and goes a little deeper into what it is like living on the margins in Louisiana. It's an interesting and heart-tugging read that really makes you think about what we can do to ... oh,hey, look a piece about the grass at the Super Bowl!

If you don't mind how badly hacked up and poorly edited this piece in Bayou Buzz is, this poorly edited and hacked-up piece in Bayou Buzz poses the question of whether or not John Bel Edwards knew how bad off the budget was when he ran for office and said he would not raise taxes. The allegation: he knew. He knew, and he knew he would have to make tax proposals but campaigned otherwise. Somewhere, deep within the Capitol JBE is smiling, licking his lips and twirling his Snidely Whiplash mustache (he has a mustache, right?) because HE KNEW!

This study rates how dependent each state is on the gun industry. While we are in the middle of the pack for that, it rated us low in in gun prevalence and gun politics. Sorry, but your measurement is flawed. Either that or there's a whole lot of guns and gun politics in other states. Seriously, I think I saw a middle school student council member get elected on a Second Amendment platform.

This gives a new meaning to the old phrase, "smuggling turtles." Two men - one from Louisiana - are set to be in court today for smuggling protected turtles. Caught in a shrimp trawl - you can only hand catch this protected species in Louisiana - the turtles were being sold to China. Just think, this whole time we've been smashing a protect species on the highway to avoid potholes.

Except for LSU, Louisiana schools lose money on athletics. So, in this age of cuts, why aren't we cutting athletics? It's an investment, according to the latest in The Advocate's special report on the higher education crisis. It points out that after national championship wins at LSU and New Orleans Bowl wins at UL, both saw a spike in applications. But, really? Nicholls having a football team is an investment? I guess, but then again, so was Enron.

If you thought that Flint. Michigan's water problem was an isolated event, check out this post about the water in St. Joseph. Or better yet, don't check it out. It's super gross. I don't know where St. Joseph is located, but I don't intend on finding out. I'd hate to accidentally stop there one day and drink some of the brown liquid coming out of the pipes.

John Bel Edwards is defending himself against those who are saying he broke promises he made during his run for office. He reasons that the proposals he made then and now are different because the facts are different and he has to make them. I don't know, it sounds a little like the timeVanilla Icetried to explain how "Ice Ice Baby" does not sample "Under Pressure."

With the Panthers going to the Super Bowl (*wretch*), The New York Post looks back on the time USL's Jake Delhomme almost hoisted the Lombardi. He relives the game and gives hi thoughts on Cam Newton. Dammit, we said his name, now he has to do some kind of dance.

Forget the Seven People You See in Heaven, the Times-Pic has the The 7 People You See at Mardi Gras. The paper also calls for you to submit an 8th. Hmmmm, has anyone taken the Topless Coed or the Urinating Stranger?

When KATC rolled into Carencro looking for witnesses to a drive-bu shooting, the found this guy. True, he doesn't have a great "Ain't nobody got tie for that" line, but that robe and that 'stache ... how has this not gone viral? He just might be Uncle Rico's stunt double.

The Advocate continues its special reports on education, this time focusing on John Bel Edwards and how he might get us out of this mess. While there is no clear path, there are a few options thrown out here. Spoiler alert: it involves cuts and raising requirements.

One part of the budget that will not be cut is the fight to stop Planned Parenthood in Louisiana. This week, John Bel Edwards and new Attorney General Jeff Landry agreed that Landry's office would determine whether or not pursuing the appeal process to block Planned Parenthood would fall under the purview of the AG's office. Bobby Jindal's administration fought the ruling that said the state could not block Planned Parenthood. This was done through the Department of Health and Hospitals via private lawyer contracts to the tune of $750,000. Landry also says he will continue the appeal process. While it is a win for no one at this point, hopefully it will mean less money spent on outside firms handling the case. But this just in - we are still broke.

When John Bel Edwards spoke to the American Correctional Association’s Winter Conference, he expressed his desire to take Louisiana off the top of the list for incarceration rates. Not only did he stress how our standing does not make us any safer - look at the crimes still being committed in Louisiana - there are certain fix-the-budget undertones to what is being reported here. After all, we do spend $350 million keeping criminals on lock down. The only thing missing from this piece is how he plans on un-incarcerating our state. Eliminating mandatory sentencing? Removing jail time for certain petty crimes? Decriminalizing drugs? Making it legal to gargle in public? Cue the wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Thanks to some legal mumbo jumbo and this-ing and that-ing, the state Supreme Court overturned an amendment that barred felons from running for office. So, John Bel Edwards, looks like you might be facing The Real Edwards in 2019. Whatcha gonna do, brother, when the Crook runs wild on you?

Jim Brown may be a grumpy old man, but unlike his compatriots, he has experience and some possible solutions to what he is griping about. In his latest blog, Brown says we don't need the taxes John Bel Edwards is proposing. Instead, he offers places to cut spending. Legit cuts that can be made - not to services or higher education. Not bad, Pops!

Did former ATC Director Troy Hebert coax New Orleans club owners into financially backing Scott Angelle? That is what a source for Louisiana Voice is alleging. Hebert is already accused of sextorting - extorting sex - a club owner in exchange for smoothing over licensing issues. There are some interesting numbers to support this claim, but nothing - as of yet - that ties Angelle to the shakedown. The source alleges Hebert had meetings where he prodded owners to fund Angelle - perhaps in hopes of keeping his job. The 12 clubs in question did not give money to other campaigns but racked up $40,000 in donations to Angelle. Also, during an investigation of strip clubs - Operation Trick or Treat - out of the 18 investigated, 17 did not contribute to the campaign. Another strip club, Rick's Cabaret, is located close to nine clubs that received suspensions in New Orleans. Rick's was not investigated, as the source says the owners are friends with Hebert. The timing is not great as Angelle is still talked about as the guy to win David Vitter's Senate seat - if Angelle runs. But, JBE winning the governorship wasn't hindered by Trooper Gate. (Of course, JBE was running against Vitter, so ...) Whether or not this hurts Angelle, it makes Hebert look like the dumbest guy to hold a state job. And that is saying something.

Forty percent. That's 10 percent shy of half. Forty percent of Louisiana households are in poverty or working poor who "barely scrape by" according to this Advocate piece about a new study. Wow. Just wow. Locally, it is a little better in Lafayette Parish at 32, but that's still too much. Check out the info graphic to see how poverty lands in Lafayette Parish.

JR Ball says that tax breaks for private education should not be on the chopping block as long as industrial tax exemption exists and our schools suck.He even argues that the tuition he pays is not really tuition, it a tax from living in Baton Rouge where the schools suck more than almost everywhere else.

Facebook will start reminding Louisiana users about registering to vote so they can participate in the upcoming presidential primary. There's a lot of reasosn to register to vote. Number 5 will blow your mind.

UL Lafayette rolled out its budget cut proposals in light of the budget crisis. Included are eliminating travel, limiting purchases, hiring freezes, a furlough and cuts to research centers. Any budget without Cayenne in it is one I can get behind.

Oh, John Bel Edwards, you are fueling the fire. When you ran, you rightfully called out the salaries of some of Bobby Jindal's staffers. Then, when you took office, you bumped the pay for some of your new hires and kept the salaries you once criticized. Look, these salaries should be the first to go. I know we are talking about people's paychecks, but your Jay Dardenne makes more than you! You are asking the people of this state to take a hit via your proposed taxes. Show us all that the hit will be taken from the top down. These are the first cuts you should make. And, while we are at it, let's just go ahead and forgo having your grocery bills covered by the state as previous governors enjoyed. If not, at least to go pork and beans over filet mignon as Jindal apparently was doing.

The Saints escaped a shut out of the Pro Bowl when Cameron Jordan became the only roster member to join the squad (and only after an injury to the first pick). So, a Saint made the Pro Bowl? That seems like it should offer some consolation but it does not.

For outsiders, and some locals who just don't get out much, The Advertiser's Dominick Cross explains the full spectrum of how we roll during Mardi Gras season (Get it? Roll? Oh, just run with it. Again, run?). From the krewes in town to the chickens in Mamou, here's your free paywall-protected guide to the Mardi Gras.

The Times-Pic breaks down where John Bel Edwards looks to raise business taxes. WWL out of New Orleans says that JBE's sales tax hike will face obstacles. (Really?) Gambit, however, argues that it is not really a tax hike as the taxes were in place in a land we can fondly remember as BJ - Before Jindal.

LSU plans to release its budget plan next week, but here is an early look at what could be on the block, including cuts at LSU Eunice. Expect the same pains across the state. Ultimately, it will be students hit the hardest as fees are rising. Meanwhile, LSU's student paper offers a plan to overcome the woes of the sales tax John Bel Edwards proposed: shop at Winn Dixie instead of Whole Foods. Whoa, what is more shocking: that college kids can afford Whole Foods or that Winn Dixie is still open?

Gambit argues that the flap over getting food stamps without having to work is just delusional Bobby Jindal being delusional Bobby Jindal, as the issue was not a problem for Jindal when he took office or for previous governors.

After some discussion of whether or not he would join the race and (some loud criticism of John Bel Edwards), State Treasurer John Kennedy has entered the race for David Vitter's Senate seat. Expect his platform to to something along the lines of JBE is wrong for raising taxes. Well, that should net him some votes.

Finally, hope for our budget! In this column - titled "For a Six Pack of Beer" - the writer offers to send the Summit Group from Crowley to Baton Rouge to help fix the budget. The price? You guessed it: one six pack of beer. It doesn't even say if they want a fancy six-er of Abita's latest seasonal brew (Mardi Gras Bock) or if we could get by on some Natty Light. As a preview - or down payment - the writer offers a few starting points. Sorry guys - if you are looking for Fat Tire or a cheap beer - numbers 1 and 2 ain't happening.

While the Saints season didn't work out so well, it was the best of Benjamin Watson's career. His success on the field - 74 catches, 825 yards and six touchdowns - was not all he has to celebrate. He is a finalist for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award for his charitable work. At least we have a shot at some kind of post season victory!

Melinda Deslatte recalls the campaign promises of John Bel Edwards and contrasts how they line up with his tax proposals. The idea to scale back on breaks hasn't show up, instead it has been replaced by hikes.

The Advocate continues its look at higher education funding in Louisiana, this time pondering the TOPS program. Some of the highlights are how it no longer has an income cap - one in five recipients come from families pulling in $150K - and how it makes it too easy to earn - nine out of 10 who apply qualify. Look, fix the problems. Save the program. This is one we cannot do without.

Don't freak out over the tax proposals, says Louisiana Voice's Tom Aswell. Here, he rounds up a few highlights from the fallout of John Bel Edwards' announcement of proposals and breaks down how the furor is unwarranted.

The Advertiser looks at the race for David Vitter's senate seat and examines the Scott Angelle factor. It argues that while he didn't win the governor's race, Angelle did well in the district that will decide who takes over for Vitter. It also notes how Angelle's late announcement on his intentions benefits the candidates, but - according to the article - it is his to lose.

If you said it would be a cold day in hell when someone in Louisiana convicted for murder committed as a teen would get a chance to be released from prison, you might have been half right. The Supreme Court ruled Monday - despite the snow storm blanketing Washington, D.C. - that prisoners doing life who committed murder as a teen get a chance to argue that they be released from prison.The ruling stems from the 1963 murder of a sheriff's deputy in Louisiana. Henry Montgomery - who, as a 17-year-old in 1963, shot and killed Charles Hurt - was the subject of the ruling.

Preface: Ok, before you say it, I know it is for a good cause but ... The 2016 Great Acadiana Running of the Ducks logo is just wrong. The logo - used on T-shirts and whatnot - mirrors the design of LOVE Acadiana, which was used after the Grand Theatre shooting and includes a play on the Lafayette Strong phrase used to rally our city. Instead of LOVE, the Acadian font flag reads DUCK, followed by Duck Strong. I'm not easily offended, but shouldn't someone - anyone - have hit stop on this at some phase - conception, design, drawing, printing, shipping - during the project?

Louisiana Voice adds Tersa Buchanan - terminated from LSU for dropping some racy jokes and having a sailor's tongue - to a list of folks it says we released unfairly. The list goes back to when Huey Long gave a couple students the boot for running a letter that criticized him.

John Bel Edwards looked to dip into BP settlement money from the oil spill to lessen the budget disaster. However, that might not be possible. Damn, how about JBE goes into a McDonalds and slips on a french fry? Can we get some money for that?

The Edwards administration has notified state universities severe cuts will be on the way. Via Jay Dardenne, commissioner of administration, sent out a memo asking the university systems to prepare a budget reduction. Those reduction numbers aren't in the 1 percent range, either. With the budget on the line, some are asking if we have too many universities. At first glance, the question of too much higher education is ridiculous (how could you ever have too much?), but the piece makes some good arguments that - based on out population - there are too many schools in Louisiana. Here, we also see just how deep higher education has been cut. At the start of Bobby Jindal's time as governor taxpayers funded about 60 percent of state schools. Now, students are paying more, and taxpayers put up around a quarter of the bill. The cuts are the single highest int he nation. JR Ball says the dilemma of raising taxes or cutting higher ed means that this is one messed up state. That's not exactly news, but it is spot-on.

John Bel Edwards used the Mardi Gras celebration in Washington, D.C. to do a little networking, shaking hands and talking about the state's issues. The event sure seemed like a good time to meet with the powers in Washington: on Thursday night, our Congressional delegation turned out for a meeting with the governor ... everyone except David Vitter.

Two Acadiana king cakes made the list in this statewide compilation of indulgent king cakes. If this makes you hungry, act now: this is a short season and if you are going to carb load, you don't have much time left.

Teresa Buchanan - a fired LSU professor who taught elementary school teachers - intends to sue the university for firing her after she repeatedly told sexually themed jokes to her undergrads and used vulgar language in class. She says it violated her free speech. Yeah, that's not how free speech works. Good thing she didn't teach law or political science.

Yesterday,I almost posted a link to LSU's Reveille. It was a column about Rep. Neil Abramson crossing party lines to help get Taylor Barras elected as the speaker of the House. But, it just seemed like another heaping of disdain on Abramson's decision - which I already posted about after the vote. It is a good thing I didn't link to it: it would not have been there. Lamar White, Jr. runs the column that was deleted the same day it posted. Not only does the writer Michael Beyer go after Abramson about the vote, but about Abramson's misuse of his office and his wife's interaction with him on Twitter (and her attempt on Beyer's job). It is a laundry list of accusations of wrongdoing and misrepresenting his district. Seems like this Beyer kid has a future in front of him. Or not, as not one every got anywhere by ticking off the powers that be.

State Treasurer John Kennedy went on the Moon Griffon show and took John Bel Edwards to task over hsi proposed tax increases. According to him, we should cut spending instead. Taxes, he argues, are not the answer. You may have a point. We don't budget wisely. For example, Bobby Jindal made a bunch of pay raises to state employees on his way out of office. Yeah, that is an area on which we should definitely be spending less. How's about we start the cuts with a big one to your paycheck, John?

Sit down grand kids and let ol' grandpa tell you a story about the good ol' days here in Pepsi Cola presents the Great State of Louisiana (TM). Well, back then in Pepsi Cola presents the Great State of Louisiana (TM), we had ourselves an economy. And, boy, did it have its ups and downs. Well, one day one of these things called a plant - that's where you went get yourself a jobbie, see - closed down its operations. Well, it wasn't the first to do so and it definitely wasn't the last. But the thing was ... Uh-oh, story time has to end early today. Looks like the old trash pile fire is out of hand again here in Pepsi Cola presents the Great State of Louisiana (TM).Let's get it put out before the War Boys notice and come to harvest our organs.

Convicted serial killer Derrick Todd Lee has died. Lee was on death row for murder - he was linked to the killings of seven women across South Louisiana. The mother of one of his victims has spoken, saying she feels "like being armored for battle, only to find you have no opponent." St. Martin Parish Assistant District Attorney Chester Cedars, who helped put Lee away, was not so civil.

This year's flu season is behaving like LSU's football team. It is off to a slow start - according to Dr. Frank Welch, immunization medical director at the Department of Health & Hospitals. However, he expects it to come out swinging - and scoring sick days - in the second half. His prediction: the worst flu season. So that makes it like the Saints and the Tigers all in one. Go sports team!

Word around the BESE fire is that Common Core is set to be a memory here in Louisiana. Don't get too excited just yet, as BESE Vice President Jim Garvey says the phrase is "toxic" and the state's curriculum will likely be dubbed something else. Whatever the new program is, it will likely overlap with the existing Common Core curriculum. So, it is kinda like the old shell game but with the children as the nut, eh? Nice.

What is the status of Planned Parenthood in Louisiana? Hard to say. John Bel Edwards will have to decide whether to keep fighting the organization in court - as Bobby Jindal did - or allow them to serve as part of our Medicaid program. Jindal cut Planned Parenthood after damaging videos of donor tissue harvested from aborted fetuses came out. The group won an injunction, which the state has been fighting since October. So far, it has cost us at least $40,000 in legal fees. If Edwards continues the fight, Planned Parenthood is ready to continue the legal battle. Man, it's like we have a hole in our pocket.

Don Briggs, the president of The Louisiana Oil & Gas Association, said that it won't be getting better anytime soon for the oil industry. In fact, it will get worse when Iran starts selling oil again. Great. Just great. BTW, there is less drilling in Louisiana now than in the Oil Bust days. Again. Great.

The tax increases John Bel Edwards sees as the keys to fixing the budget are now known. Edwards proposes tax increases at the registers, at the smoke shop, when you pay Ma Bell and on business utilities. Plus, he wants to take money from the rainy day fund, redirect oil spill money and go after normally protected items in the budget. According to the Tax Foundation, his raising the sales tax from four cents to five would make Louisiana's average combined state and local sales tax rate the highest in the nation. Hey, were are at the top of the list! Woo-hoo! Oh, wait.

The company the city of New Orleans hired to remove the Confederate monuments has been under fire, literally. First, there were death threats, prompting contractor David Mahler to drop out of the job (hey, this is New Orleans, so threats should be no big deal). Now, he reports someone torched his Lamborghini. And by torched, we mean washed in in gasoline and dried it with a match. While that sure is sad - it was valued at more than $200K - maybe he should have bought a slightly cheaper car and sprang for a garage for a fricking Lambo.

The Hayride says the Clarion Herald, the newspaper of the New Orleans archdiocese, is ignoring John Bel Edwards' appointment of Dr. Rebekah Gee as the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Gee's pro-choice stance, The Hayride says, goes against Edwards' anti-abortion, Catholic views. Hmmmm, wonder why this wasn't brought up when Bobby Jindal had her on his staff?

In Flint, Michigan, residents are running out of clean water. What comes out of their faucets is tainted with lead. Jesse Jackson compared the situation to Hurricane Katrina. He makes a point that both they man made but ... just no. No. Nope.

The student who introduced President Obama to the crowd in New Orleans Baton Rouge last week had her car broken into. The thief took a text book in which she put a copy of her speech (Obama had signed it and everything). Police say the thief wasn't looking to take the speech, which begs the question: who steals a text book?

Banks in Lake Charles were defaced with the graffiti "Fudge MLK Jr.", except "Fudge" wasn't "Fudge." It was, you know, the mother of them all. I am guessing someone really needed to make a deposit and got angry that the banks closed in observance. Either that or some folks just can't handle a day off.

How bad of a job did Bobby Jindal do governing the state? Even in Canada his reputation for leaving Louisiana to go run for president is known. Here, A Canada Free Press writer refers to Chris Christie's abandonment governing of New Jersey as "pulling a Jindal."

FYI: taxes are on the way. According to a report released by John Bel Edwards' team, cutting services just won't cut it. In fact, shutting down every college and university in the state would get us through the year.

The Advocate columnists take two separate views on Medicaid: Stephanie Grace says it will be a life jacket for our people; Jeff Sadow says it is will be like an anchor dropped through the bottom of a fiberglass boat.

In New Orleans, Arcade Fire memorialized David Bowie with a musical parade. Not to disrespect the great artist that Bowie was (and it did seem to turn out pretty cool) but ... this is your new New Orleans. Not convinced? Here's another piece of the puzzle.

Democrats, it is time to get out of the way and allow Jacques Roy to vie (and vie alone) for David Vitter's seat, Lamar White, Jr. advises. He owns up to being biased but points out qualities that would help the Democrat win swing votes and contend with any Republican.

John Bel Edwards went from saying state Superintendent John White was not qualified to run a middle school and needed to go to saying he will keep an open line of communication with him. Ugh. Politics, y'all.

The Hayride is not buying Gov. John Bel Edwards' assertion that a trip through Interstate 10's single lane traffic in Baton Rouge prompted President Obama to pony up federal funding to make the road breathe easier. In fact, they are saying his pants are on fire in several places.

In his initial run for president, Barack Obama said there were 57 states. Last Thursday, he spoke in Baton Rouge and signed off with a "Thank you, New Orleans!" Ooof. Talk about winning a crowd over - The Hayride is not impressed. So, Obummer, here's a quick primer: New Orleans is an incredible and unique American city with a rich history, culture and past; Baton Rouge is an American city. New Orleans has a pro sports team that we love even when it is hard to do so; Baton Rouge has a college football team that better not lose a damn game. New Orleans culinary traditions are world renown, Baton Rouge has chain restaurants. But, it is really not his fault. I mean, how many times as he visited the state, anyway?

A report by Politico says Louisiana is the weakest of all the states - even weaker than our old friend and bottom-of-the-list-savior Mississippi. The finding is based on annual per capita income, unemployment rate, poverty, home ownership rate, high school graduation, life expectancy and infant deaths, as well as obesity, well being and crime. And the week started out so well.

Louisiana Voice might make you angry today. Not at the site, but about those we elected to office. It details the spending committed by some of our "leaders" in the face of our massive budget problems - fine dining, pay bumps and sweet retirement payouts, all while resisting minimum wage. Not to mention, there was a recent session where Legislative Fiscal Officer John Carpenter outlined how bad things were in Louisiana. What was the response by lawmakers? Walking around, talking and having to be called to order. Great. That's what we have running things: the bad kids who don't listen and do whatever they want. You have a future in government, Little Johnny!

The day after leaving office, you would think Bobby Jindal was looking to unwind or eflect on all the good he had done. Instead, he headed over to the Cajundome and laid the Smackdown on Roman Reigns during an episode of the WWE's Smackdown, Jindal showed that he was more than just a raisin - laying out the WWE champ after a knee to the yam bag. Why? It wasn't because he tried to raise taxes or fund Planned Parenthood or referred to himself as a (hyphenated) Samoan-American. Or, because nobody likes Reigns. Nobody. Instead, Jindal took offense to Reigns cursing "in God's country." Seems a little made up? It came from the Daily Crawfish, a perfectly cromulent news site.

The Washington Post details the history of the Duck Dynasty crew and their political endorsements. There's video, too. The latest to go up to Da Camp? Ted Cruz, who has their official endorsement. Seriously? They make duck calls for a living. Why should I care what they think about politics? Someone needs to get the Capt. Clay Higgins endorsement train rolling instead.

To explain Bobby Jindal's exit from office and his take on his time in office, James Gill drops a Pee-wee Herman reference. Jindal sees his time as a win, as he didn't raise taxes and had a "balanced budget." Yeah, no. Your budget may have been balanced when you left to run for president but it sure isn't now that you are out of office. Maybe your bow tie is on too tight.

Police released more information on John Russell Houser, including his journal. It provides a glimpse into a disturbed individual. The Daily Advertiser points out five takeaways, including his praise of Dylann Roof, the shooter in South Carolina. They also provided info into his background and his interest in a Greek neo-Nazi group.

More good news for The Ragin' Cajuns (sort of): the NCAA has accepted their self-imposed sanctions following allegations of academic fraud arranged by a former football coach. Although it sucks that one bonehead screwed us out of a New Orleans Bowl win (among other penalities UL Lafayette gave itself), at least they are not adding to the punishment. Now, we just need to go back and rack up another NOLA Bowl win.

If you are one of the ones who said the Saints might should maybe thing about considering trading Drew Brees after the season the team had, here's a look at his milestones from the season. Imagine us without him. (Ok, totally, I am one of those people. Yeah, yeah, yeah, let your hatred flow, whatever. But, look at these milestones as a price booster. Brees has good days left but they are dwindling. It is just a fact. We need to prepare ourselves for the reality that one day he will be done. Then what? What is our plan? Take steps today - or sooner than later - to prepare for that day.)

Mitch Landrieu is just itching to see the Confederate monuments gone. Even before the federal court hearing on whether or not the city can remove them, che has allegedly sent work crews to start prepping the sites for removal. That gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "at the speed of government."

The election of Taylor Barras to the state's speaker of the House spot was unexpected. After all, it was supposed to be a battle between two other representatives that was to fold right down party lines. Except, it didn't. Lamar White, Jr. breaks down how one Democrat turned Republican for the moment helped pull off the surprise win.

Looks the the billion dollar Powerball will not only make some folks rich, but it will put a few drops in the bucket for our state, as we benefit from the sale of all those tickets. How's about this: the state of Louisiana cashes out everything and heads down to the Jet 24 for a truck load of Powerball tickets. That would help cure that budget!

So much for waiting until we could afford it. John Bel Edwards signed his first executive order to start the expansion of Medicaid - which would require the state to come up with at least $2.8 million to help implement the project. Could this having something to do with President Obama coming to town to laud him for wanting to make this move?

For those of you who didn't grow up near New Orleans and haven't realized to stay away from the city during the Carnival season, The Times-Pic has a guide with tips on making the most of the Mardi Gras. There's also footage of the entire Endymion parade sped up so that it only 140 seconds to watch. If you slow it down at just the right spot you might see some boobs. Or, maybe that's just a bald guy. It's hard to tell.

The only good news coming out of the Ragin' Cajun season this year is that one of our key players will return. Elijah McGuire announced he will stay for his senior year and skip the NFL Draft. Hopefully, this means he will blow it up next year, lead the Cajuns back to glory and then get drafted (fingers crossed that he gets picked by the Saints).

You know that voucher program that Bobby Jindal wants John Bel Edwards to keep? Hmmm, maybe not. The National Bureau of Economic Research put out a paper claiming that it harms students - low income kids are 50 percent more likely to fail math by attending one of the participating private schools. Fifty percent! That's almost half!

Now, we know Thursday's destination for your La La Land sign: McKinley High School in Baton Rouge. (Let's just hope President Obama doesn't ask kids to single out the worst kid in their class.) I just made it official: we have the Doritos. Get yours by getting your La La sign up in some of that sweet media coverage!

If it wasn't coming from an MIT smarty pants, I'd say to break out the tin foil hats. Still, Kerry Emanuel warns that it is hard to prove but speculates on the effect of reducing the junk (aerosols) in the atmosphere. He says it may - and that is just a may - have led to a more intense Hurricane Katrina. Let's go back to the big hair and hairspray days of the 1980s and blow the storms away!

This breakdown of the struggle for the speaker of the House spot would have been a lot better had it not been posted the very morning Republicans propelled one of their own into the spot. It's a thorough look at Cameron Henry and Walt Leger, John Bel Edwards' choice, that breaks down their histories and hometowns to examine how it all impacted them. Oh yeah, it also seems pretty useless as Taylor Barras got the nod, not the two profiled here. Ooops.

You can tell festival season and Mardi Gras has not begun as the opening of the Bonnet Care Spillway spillway attracted a crowd. Either that or with out economy, people are drawn to any kind of free entertainment

Check out some of the perks our new governor is getting (and old governors got). My question is how did the Jindals spend more than $200,000 on groceries in a year when the one with - presumably - the largest appetite was never here?

Louisiana Voice held a party to see off Bobby Jindal and has the pictures to prove it. There was even a cake. It looks so yummy, perhaps because it was sweetened with the tears of the Raisin himself. Jindal, however, was not invited.

Here's a quick blurb that really says nothing but points to issues down the road: what will be the fate of John White, the state superintendent and will BESE members play along with John Bel Edwards or will his time in office be one of conflict with the board? Look, White being out of a job was one thing that brought David VItter and Edwards together. There's there are sound reasons to end his run as the top education leader in this state. If you don't know them, ask any teacher.

John Bel Edwards did speak of unity and reaching across the aisle (along with Medicaid expansion, raising minimum wage and other Blue stuff) during his inauguration speech, but it looks like he won't be getting it. Earlier in the day, House Republicans voted in New Iberia Rep. Taylor Barras as speaker of the House. Edwards backed Walt Leger, a Democrat, for the job. On his first day in office. Damn, that is a statement. Better buckle up, JBE, it is going to be a long four years.

The latest in Real ID news should be a relief for frequent travelers: it won't be enforced for another two years. That should give our ultra effective government enough time to file for another extension, right?

The mystery clip art comic strip artist who took to skewering Bobby Jindal is leaving us as well. This past week, the artist posted what he/she says is his/her last swipe at Jindal and a note saying the site will be up until Feb. 7. Will he/she be back? Knowing Louisiana, there is always plenty of material.

In case you didn't hear, President Obama will visit Baton Rouge this Thursday, thanks to John Bel Edwards' Medicaid expansion. Sure, that's old news. But here's something: every news outlet in this state from Pumpkin Center to Kickapoo will be there to cover it. That's a lot of photos and front pages. If you manage to get your picture taken holding a nice La La Land sign and it runs in one of them fancy papers, I will do my best to run it and your name/bio/relationship status/Instagram handle right here! How awesome is that?!? Yeah, well, times are tough and we are on a budget. Maybe I can see if we have a party size bag of Doritos left over from the Christmas party you can have. You like Cool Ranch?

Well, depending on when you are reading this, we have a new governor and a former governor/presidential candidate. But, it is more than that. All statewide elected officials will be sworn in and there will be events and performances. According to The Advocate, John Bel Edwards will call for unity. According to The Hill, Bobby Jindal hasn't ruled out another run for office. One out of two ain't bad, huh?

There's just too much to report about Sean Payton remaining as the Saints' head coach. While he certainly had some regrettable moments this year, it does allow us to fix what is broken in the off season instead of having to court a new coach and transitioning him and the team. ESPN says it is what is best for the team, as he is clearly all in (as he says he can't see himself coaching any where else) but would rather talk about Gatorade. He even got all sentimental about the city. USA Today agrees that keeping Payton and Brees is the smart move. The real question I have is can he and Les Miles meet up and discuss how a 7-9 coach is beloved while a guy who dropped three was in danger of being canned?

Here's an op-ed you never thought you would live to see: Bobby Jindal will be missed. I will say that again: Jindal, missed. Sam Hanna, Jr. points out the good things Jindal did. The Hayride had a similar thought the other day, decrying that his "Real Legacy" was more positive than the state media will admit. If you like him so much, why don't you marry him? Oh, what's that? Because he won't stay in Louisiana long enough to fill out the marriage license paperwork?

Organizers of gun shows in Louisiana and nearby states say the whole executive order really won't do much. In fact, only 5% of their dealers are unlicensed (President Obama's order requires those selling guns to be licensed). Still, there's the clatter of "governmental overreach." Boy, I can just sense a Hot Deal on some nice pieces from Academy fixing to happen.

Used to be, you could tell the power of the economy by looking at how much peanut butter and jelly was at the grocery store. If there was a lot left on the shelf, we were good; if it was scarce, it was the hard times. (Meaning that people turn to PB&J as a cheap eat when the economy is busting, turn away when it is booming). Today, it is more complicated than that. But, these two figures don't look good. Less construction jobs are being added and less cars are being sold in Louisiana. I'm telling you something you already know, right?

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report posts two conversations of note: one with Bobby Jindal, the other with John Bel Edwards. Edwards is asked stuff about infrastructure and Medicaid. The look at Jindal is pretty softball - what ya gonna miss, T-Bob?

King Cake Season is here! Officially, yesterday was the start of the season, but let's be honest, it began at some stores the second they reopened from Christmas. The Daily Advertiser highlights some of the local places to fill up on holy carbs and sacred sugar. Yesterday, if you were lucky Uber would have delivered you a Haydel's cake for $20 (and by that I mean real lucky, as there were difficulties pulling that off and the service was sold out before 1 p.m.). There's some gems on this list - Meche's, Crystal Weddings, etc. - and some that ... um ... diabetic friendly and gluten free? No, thanks. Me, I'm dreaming off the day Meche's starts using the crunchy sugar.

The Louisiana reaction to President Obama's gun control executive order is not just one-sided. Ok, it kinda is. Democrats are having a say and it is that he needs to do more to protect urban residents from gun violence. Republicans, however, are ultra hyped about it. One Tea Party candidate - Rob Maness, who is running for David Vitter's odl seat - is even going after Republicans, calling them spineless.

This Indian-American magazine has a quick bite about why Indian-Americans (note the hyphen) are so disappointed in Bobby Jindal. It is not about him not winning or even remaining in the race, it is about his abandonment of their culture and how, although they are conservative when it comes to financial matters, they are socially liberal. That whole Brady Brunch fetish probably doesn't help either.

Stephanie Grace does a little freelancing here to discuss why John Bel Edwards was able to end David Vitter's undefeated streak. It's old hat for anyone who has been playing along but she does give a nod to Edwards' gamesmanship in his downfall - in other words, Vitter did not just end himself.

After a bit of a layoff (perhaps because he was celebrating David Vitter's defeat), Lamar White Jr. returns and offers a free lunch from City Pork to State Treasurer John Kennedy. All Kennedy has to do is show up at the next meeting of the Louisiana Housing Corportation and actually do something. The LHC's rough five years of existence is detailed by White in his latest blog. Kennedy might want to hurry, though. Next week, according to White, the LHC could be bankrupt. (And City Pork looks like it has some good san'miches.)

Here's a shocker: in the face of a massive budget problem, Louisiana's leaders may turn to new or raised taxes. I looked this up online and it said they have a history of this going back quite a while. Seems like everyone should know this, yet they don't.

Dead Pelican calls out Ben Nevers - John Bel Edwards' new chief of staff - like he ditched somebody's sister at the altar, calling him a "LAND THIEVING CHIEF OF STAFF." The short piece takes him to task over a shady land deal that would have forced residents in Washington Parish to sell property to a private organization. Note to all: don't rile up Washington Parish folks, they will pitchfork you.

With a new governor comes talk of improvements - or at least changes - to Louisiana's juvenile justice system. Past governors have attempted - or said they would attempt - to do the same thing, but have not (Bobby Jindal cut the system's budget). This Advocate piece breaks down questions about the system's future and people who may or may not be out looking for a job very soon. Hey, don't do the crime if you can't count to five.

Despite a cut to the film tax credit, the movie industry isn't leaving town. This piece focuses more on the Shreveport area, but it is still good for Louisiana. And let's face it, we need anything that is good for any place in this state.

John Bel Edwards isn't coming out swinging, he is coming out with open arms, this op-ed states. Instead of playing sides, he wants the government to be open to working together. Working together and not running for president, you say? Who thinks that is any way to run a state?

Rep. Charles Boustany didn't like that "gun grabbing" executive order President Obama issued the other day. In a statement, he equates him to a king. Although he's got a point about executive orders - a funky way to do things - these regulations are pretty bland. While he is not as ticked as others, Boustany is going full-blown cosponsor, throwing his weight behind the Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act. The act seeks to render any act going against he Second Amendment as having no effect. Perhaps he was prompted by the previous orders issued by Obama on gun control ... or, just maybe, he's running for office in a Red state.

The Hayride takes the high ground on C.B. Forgotston's death. Though it didn't know him and it didn't agree with his abuse of Bobby Jindal, the Hayride is right in this post. It's not anyone's place to speculate why he took his own life and it didn't have anything to do with losing a foe in Jindal. Come. On. (For a more personal tribute, click for Elliot Stonecipher's post.)

Although the season is over, Monday was a big day for the Saints. Even before a meeting to determine the fate of Sean Payton was held, there were plenty of rumors about if he was staying or going. Other teams are interested in Payton and he may fetch a second round pick if we were to trade him. The team may or may not be interested in letting him explore his options. Payton isn't saying much. ESPN puts the questions about next year's whereabouts of Payton and Drew Brees - as well as salary cap and front office questions - as some of the top puzzles of the off season. In more bad news, next season's opponents have been released. Along with the usual, we face some rough match-ups: Arizona, Kansas City, Seattle and Denver. To add insult to injury, Junior Galette - former Saint - went on Snapchat and bagged on us and several key players. Big words from a domestic abuser via a site teens use to send each other nekkid pics.

Someone defaces the Jefferson Davis monument. Spray paints Angela Davis - the name of a civil rights activist - on it. So, is it a crime to deface a monument that is set to be removed (pending a lawsuit)? Kinda like the tree falling in the forest - we just don't know.

C.B. Forgotston ended his life with a single gunshot on Sunday. Forgotston was a lawyer, political pundit and one of the pioneers of the political blogosphere in Louisiana. It is likely you would not be reading this if not for his page. Forgotston had slowed down in his postings (his last update was a countdown to Bobby Jindal's last day but he didn't have much to say in the last few months). He did remain active on Twitter. Remembrances and tributes to him have been pouring out. We won't speculate, as others have, on why he ended his life. Instead, here's a C.B. thought we can all agree with no matter our political leanings: "Louisiana should not settle for last place on all good lists and first place on all bad lists."

It was nice to cap off the season with a win, but it was a meaningless one. Sure, there was a lot of pride on the line and maybe it stuck in Cam Newton's crawl that we beat the team (twice) that ended their undefeated season. But, it still was for naught. Season's done, we are done. Now, what happens? The mantra of there is always next year is an interesting one as the fate of Sean Payton is foggy at this time. Today, the team's front office will meet about him but info could be just as cloudy for weeks. My money is on keeping Drew Brees until salary cap issues look better. Payton? Seventy-thirty, he stays.

Did it really take a study to determine that most of the sediment that replenishes marshland in Louisiana comes from the Mississippi River? Instead of wasting money on this study, use it to do something about the problem that every 8th grader in Louisiana should know about.

What is the most French Congressional District in America? No surprise that it is here in Louisiana, but where it is in Louisiana is a shocker. Eighteen percent of its inhabitants consider themselves of French descent. (Numbers two and three are also in the state). Hint: it's not in Acadiana.

The Advocate looks back at the fall of Bobby "Boy Wonder" Jindal, the history he made and the disaster he left in his wake. What sets this one apart is it includes quotes from a sit-down interview with The Advocate and input from Buddy Roemer and Kathleen Blanco

In light of the budget disaster we are in (BTW, it may be worse than we thought) John Bel Edwards' inauguration party on Jan. 11 is set to be a much smaller affair than his predecessors - there were festivals, a kids' village, a picnic. Instead, after a public sweating-in on the capitol steps, 5,000 invitees will attend a private, no-frills ball. BYOB, y'all.

Damn you, Tommy Morgan! Actions like yours - allegedly beating a woman on Christmas Eve and attempting to steal a child out of a vehicle atop a Morgan City bridge - makes the rest of us with "See No Evil" tattooed across our faces look like bad people.

Yes, you can still fly with a Louisiana driver's license. That is thanks to an extension in getting in compliance with REAL ID. Also, look for John Bel Edwards to make our wings permanent, according to this piece.

The Hayride goes after the media in its coverage of the food stamp argument, claiming it is making John Bel Edwards out to be a saint. It goes as far to jokingly ask if the media huddles together and plans out its narrative. You got us, that's totally what we do.

Christmas is over but Jeff Sadow says John Bel Edwards could play the role of the Grinch when it comes to school vouchers. Though the soon-to-be governor says he won't snatch them away from little Cindy Lou Who, Sadow says his record shows other wise.

Oof. Community college students are supposed to be turned over to the attorney general when they don't pay what they owe schools. That policy is not usually followed. The result for South Louisiana Community College students? About $2.9 million in debt. Plus, the school's noncompliance in filing for certain federal programs mean it may owe more than $50 thousand. This is why you can't have nice things.

This is one of those headlines that almost gives away the whole story (like that preview featuring Judd Lormand that showed before the Star Wars. You know about the girl who gets sick but heals herself by falling out a tree? You know, the only one that wasn't a fanboy preview?). Unfortunately, there's not much more to the story than this incredible headline: Louisiana Woman Accused Of Destroying Strip Club With Bat Over Cover Charge

Seems hard to believe that oil sector jobs have dropped to fewer than 43,000, given that it is one of the major economic resources in the state. The Advocate calls that a serious slump. You can say that again ... and again and again.

The hearing for the lawsuit to save the New Orleans monuments will take place on Jan. 14. The four groups that filed to keep the monuments argue that it is part of New Orleans' cultural history and their removal violates state and federal law. That hearing takes place one day before Martin Luther King Jr.'s actual birthday and just before the holiday for his observed birthday. Irony much?

The season is ending this week, but its a hot time for the Saints. Tom Benson comes out firing about the column suggesting imploring he cash out and walk away from both the Pelicans and the Black and Gold. That letter, he says, is as accurate as the refs were when he lost to the Lions. (Ok, he said it was inaccurate, I added the simile for pizzazz). Jeff Duncan, who penned the piece, let's the fans decide. EPSN Radio 1410 asserts that Benson would not fire Sean Payton and if he leaves, which he might, it would be on his own terms. Speaking of leaving, Pro Football Talk wonders if Sunday's game was the last home game for Drew Brees as a Saint. With the team's troubles and big salary cap issues to keep Brees, it might just be. Yet, can you really trust a site that misspelled his name as "Trees"?

The NOLA Defender has a much shorter list of stories for its stories of the year round-up. It's not all gloom - its first nod goes to the city's smoking ban. Bobby Jindal's failed presidency bid is also in there. But wait, was he running for president or vice president?

The Hayride points out some numbers about New Orleans crime during the debate over the Confederate/Liberty Place monuments. Spoiler alert: it ain't pretty. But that is all set to change now that they are coming down, right? Right?

You'd think we would get a break from these tiring elections, but noooo. Here's a preview of the upcoming race that goes deeper into both sides of the aisle. Now is looking like a great time to take a really long vacation.

The Advocate makes a pretty strong argument for John Bel Edwards slowing his roll when it comes to food stamp changes. Or does it? In a pretty balanced editorial it argues the $194 a month it gives is not really living high on the hog. Yet, shouldn't they be out looking for a job or training for a career, it asks. But wait, maybe they can't find one, it offers next. Looks like it not as cut and dry and government cheese. State Treasurer John Kennedy, on the other hand, says get to work.

What's next for the monuments and what is it going to cost? The Times-Pic looks at similar situations and their costs. For now, the removal has been covered, but Mitch Landrieu's next step - some kind of museum - hasn't been funded.

Smiley Anders breaks down the retro feel of our current political situation. Plus, tidbits and quotes from the year (some tired and some ripe), plus Anders' suggestion for the monuments in New Orleans - it involves paper bags a la the Saints.

The Huff Post of India looks at Bobby Jindal's departure. While not slamming him, it juxtaposes the expectations of his time in office with its outcome.It's great to see the disappointment is on an international level.

Here's to you and yours on this Christmas Eve! Just one thing, though. If any of the presents under your tree - or coming down your chimney - are on this list, you still have time to get to the store. Have a great holiday!

After the Keystone Kaper that was the Detroit game, this argument to trade Sean Payton actually makes sense. But, it gets worse. The Saints could be set to appear on Hard Knocks, a HBO series that documents a team's training camp. The franchise doesn't care for the series - even withdrawing from joint practice with the Houston Texans to avoid being on it. However, it looks like they may not have a choice as they meet the criteria. In other news, Drew Brees has a torn plantar fascia but hopes to play the remaining two games of the season. That should work out well. And, with two games left that present plenty of opportunities, Brandon Browner has set a new penalty record. **Slow Clap**

More end-of-the-year lists: these two reveal what we have been Googling. First, turns out our most favorite movie - according to Google - is Home Alone. Either that is a statement about our fears of home invasion or a lot of people are looking into the theory that Kevin is the Jigsaw killer. This other list shows what we are really concerned about, as it points out our top Googled item of the year. Did we mention Louisiana is the fourth most obese state?

Add another item in our long list of additions that are making Lafayette just like Baton Rouge (you know, Whole Foods, Dick's Sporting Goods, Walk-Ons, those breastaurants). We now have a Left-leaning satirical web site! The Daily Crawfish is like The Onion and Baton Rouge's Red Shtick. Some of the pieces are pretty fish-in-a-barrel (one of the top toys for kids is a gun) but some of them are pretty nail-on-the-head (local man turns turn high-paying job because it requires him to turn left on Johnston Street; man regrets jacked up truck that is too high for Chick-Fil-A). Who knows, with a little luck it will make it into 2016! Sorry, guys, creative and Left just don't fly in this town.

This editorial looks back on when Bobby Jindal actually checked out - back in 2008 when he was courted by John McCain to not be his running mate. Meanwhile, Louisiana Voice offers up an early Christmas present.

Prediction: 2016 will be David Vitter's best year ever. That's only because he will likely not find himself on lists like this one, ranking the weirdest political stories of the year (that are not about Donald Trump). The "Prostitutes over Patriots" ad comes in at number 6. Hey, that's pretty good results for Ol' Dave.

The Saints. At home. Monday Night Football. Morten Andersen inducted into the Ring of Honor. 35-27 loss. Not that any of that matters: the Saints were out of playoff contention anyway. But, it would have been nice to pick up a win in the game that saw Drew Brees set records. (And possibly injured his foot.) Besides, it's not like the refs let Detroit call an extra timeout or anything. Just beat Atlanta, ok?

The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report breaks down the upcoming race for David Vitter's seat and the game plan of 673 candidates vying for it. Ok, maybe not that many people are looking to replace him, but it sure will seem like it when those political ads start rolling

Remember that time Lamar White, Jr. tweeted that pic of a portrait of Bobby Jindal with light skin and everybody got all race baiting and whatnot? Now, the portrait is on it's way home to the person who commissioned it - yeah, someone other than Jindal paid for that. Just be glad we didn't pay for it.

Forget all that: there's only two pieces of #realnews today. Steve Harvey botched the Miss Universe Pageant and Blue Bell is back! If you don't know these two facts, congrats on having a job that doesn't involve poring social media.

The Hayride is still in a tizzy about the New Orleans monument decision. Here, it breaks down the people who pushed for their removal. Gasp! It's African-Americans who really dig "social justice." I really would have never expected that!

I'm really not sure how I feel about John Bel Edwards undoing Bobby Jindal's requirement that welfare recipients work to receive benefits. I think I will wait until it hits KATC's Facebook and let those folks straighten me out.

Louisiana Voice is making a strong argument for you to reconsider Kristy Nichols, Jindal’s commissioner of administration for three years, for the Boob of the Year. Not only does she have a bad track record with public information requests, her new job at the Ochsner Health System poses ethical concerns.

Louisiana Voice, normally in the Blue corner, is disappointed in John Bel Edwards decision to reappoint State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson. This comes after the Louisiana State Troopers Association endorsed Edwards and made contributions to his campaign. Hmmm, hiring Jay Dardenne, who endorsed him, letting Edmonson keep his job ... that could not have been political at all, could it?

Congress' trillion dollar spending bill passed with the help of provisions allowing the export of American oil (pretty good timing as that crashing sound you just heard was out economy). But, David Vitter voted against it. Why? Planned Parenthood. Hey, at least he could be bothered to vote this time.

If you thought the New Orleans monument situation would end when the city council voted 6-1 to label statues of Gen. Robert E. Lee, P.G.T. Beauregard, Confederate President Jefferson Davis and a monument to the massacre riot Battle of Liberty Place as nuisances, you must be new to this whole thing. Some are saying it was a great decision, some put it as terrible. But not only is it not over - with a lawsuit already filed - but some are speculating it is only the beginning. The Hayride goes full Tin Foil Hat with a theory that it is all part of a Marxist regime conspiracy that will also bring down monuments to Gen. Andrew Jackson and city founder JeanBaptiste le Moyne de Bienville. Although the theory is pretty nutsy, it is drawn from interpretation of comments made by Mayor Mitch Landrieu and speculation by the Advocate. Ok, these four monuments were up for debate. But, Bienville? Jackson? Yes, they were not the greatest guys in the world - pro-slavery and a real pain to Native Americans - but the two are very important to that city: Bienville is the Father of Louisiana, Jackson saved New Orleans (and perhaps the entire country) from the British. There's no debating that. Mayor, leave them while you are ahead. (And don't even think about the statue of that loon Ignatius J. Reilly. It stays.)

On one hand, John Bel Edwards' staffers who were around for Jindal will make the same money, but for new hires, it looks like they will get a pay raise over the staffers who held the same job. Jay Dardenne, for example, will pocket about 16 percent more than his predecessor - about 33 grand. On the other hand, Edwards says he will keep less communication staff members. That may save us some money. However, Edwards, maybe those pay bumps could wait until after we aren't so broke we can't even pay attention.

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority's two year study is in and the results are not good. If a storm along the lines of Hurricane Katrina hit in the next 50 years, the damage could be in the ballpark of $133 billion. Here comes the requisite billion with a B line. Billion. With a B. Seems like we should be doing something about this coastal erosion thing, huh?

Bobby Jindal's farewell tour is in full swing and can't be wrapped up fast enough according to The Red Shtick. This time, I think it isn't satire, as the site reports on empty seats at a Jindal event in Baton Rouge. At one similar-minded event in New Orleans - at this point, anytime he is in the state it has to be for a special occasion - he deflected questions about his out-of-state travel costs. Fox 8 in New Orleans reports he spent a million dollars during his presidential campaign. On the bright side, had he stayed around, think of the damage he would have caused!

Seems like Bobby Jindal spent so much time out of state during his candidacy governorship, that he started to care more about what non-Louisiana residents thought about issues than what residents thought. After the Paris attacks, Jindal received e-mails urging him to ban refugees. These e-mails have now been revealed to be from out-of-state senders. And, most of them were uninformed about the issue. Don't smile too much though, you know good and well that same sentiment - and uninformed-ness - could be heard here at home too.

If you thought that whole fossil fuels = bad summit in Paris was a death knell for our economy, here's some bright news: Congress may lift the ban on American oil exports, in place since the 1970s. This would - hopefully - offset some of the 100,000 energy sector jobs cut this year and possibly create 5,400 new jobs in Louisiana. This is is great news! Oh, wait ... we lost more than 7,000 ... so ... yayish?

From the "Do We Have To?" file: Louisiana hayride gives us four "very interesting" reasons to watch the upcoming race for David Vitter's senate seat. It's mostly about who will run, so it is four reasons that are anything but "very interesting."

A couple national rankings about education came out this week and four local schools received high marks in public education. The Early College Academy was the only school in Lafayette Parish to receive a bronze ranking in the U.S. News and World Report's best schools in the nation, while three Vermilion Parish schools - Abbeville High, Erath High and Gueydan High - took the same honor. Also, Louisiana ranked 10th - tied with Oklahoma - in the nation when it came to policies supporting strong charter schools. Louisiana's education doing well leaves me so perplexed, I can't even make a pithy comment about it.

No idea what the point of this is, but here you can leave a button in the Campaign Graveyard for those quitting the presidential race. Just click on the tombstone of your favorite and your tiny button is added to the heap. And, of course, Bobby Jindal has the least buttons. And that is with me clicking on him to see if it worked.

David Vitter has been nominated for two Golden Dukes, TPM's nod to "the year's best purveyors of public corruption, outlandish behavior and The Crazy." Vitter has some stiff competition in the categories Best Scandal—Sex and Generalized Carnality and Best Scandal—General Interest for his prostitution scandal and the arrest of his private eye for spying. Although he is not the only person up for a multiple, he is the only one from Louisiana with such an honor. Doing us proud, Dave!

Despite his days at Carolina, where he brought the team to the Super Bowl in his firs year as their QB, Jake Delhomme is still the man. This Friday - 19 years after knocking off 25th- ranked Texas A&M at Cajun Field in the greatest game I have ever attended - he comes home to give the general assembly address at UL's graduation. While he's in these parts, maybe the Saints could re-sign him. Please?

Former LSU Tigers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry light up the NFL these days with amazing catches. - ODB recently pulling some amazing catches to lead his Giants to a history-making win over Landry and his Dolphins. (Not to mention this, the greatest catch of all time.) But that's old hat for the pair who used to do it at practice all the time when they were at LSU together. Here CBS compiled some of those catches.

Even though Jindal dropped out the presidential race, he still made this list of presidential candidates ranked as drinking pals. Just like everything else in Louisiana, he is at the bottom of the list.

In the midst of his farewell tour, which hits the University Hospital and Clinics facility in Lafayette today, Bobby Jindal says he won't run for David Vitter's seat but hasn't ruled out a future presidential bid. Although that doesn't sound like fun, at least he appears to be done with the governor's office and won't seek reelection in four years, when he will be eligible again.

The Saints beating the Bucs was likely too little too late, but any time we get one over on a division rival (on the road, no less) it is cause for celebration. Here's a few bits and peices about the record setting game. One of those records, however, is not one to be proud of: Brandon Browner tied the record for most penalties in a single season. With three games left, I'm betting he will set a new record.

Last week, Louisiana Voice unveiled its Boob of The Year Award nominees. This week, it takes a positive turn with the Beacon of Light nominees. And, hey, Lamar White, Jr. is on the list! Boss man Walter Pierce gives a quote too. They know where we are from!

Here, the Advocate advocates for cutting the state's financial woes by changing policies on nonviolent offenders. Letting them out of jail or into other programs, it argues, would alleviate some of our budget issues. Hey, we could always privatize the system because that always works out well.

Plenty of people get arrested for shoplifting and no one bats an eye. But when a teacher is arrested, KATC decides it is news worthy and puts it on their Facebook page, ushering in tasteless comments about her and the profession (she has to steal because of teacher pay, you know, cos teachers make less than garbage men). True, KATC's Facebook feed is full of #notnews, but usually it is of the harmless variety. But to run a teacher's mug shot (and video of it!) just because she lifted an item from an over priced store, that's low. Maybe crap like this is why so many teachers are leaving the profession. Wait, no, that's not it at all.

Yeah, this seemed like a good idea but you knew it would not go well. New Orleans offered a public meeting on the removal of the city's confederate monuments. The public was allowed to comment. You see where this is going, right? The only surprise is that only two people were removed by police. Someone even tried to make it about ISIS!

St. Landry's very own Badass (with a capital B) Capt. Clay Higgins has opened his own web site to sell Higgins gear, featuring his likeness and message. But, instead of cashing in one his fame, he is using the funds generated to help open a homeless shelter in the parish. After that, he's going to eat a cheese burger with fries and a coke at Stelly's Supermarket and tell you how worthless you are for rustling cattle.

Bobby Jindal speaks out about Donald Trump's recent anti-Muslim remarks, saying it is not a serious proposal. Instead, he says Muslims need to assimilate. You know, maybe take a name from a white bread sitcom while they are at it. By the way, did anyone ask Jindal about this or did he just strike up a conversation with someone while trying to find his way out of the capitol?

Louisiana Voice launched its first-ever Boob of the Year award, in which readers get to pick the biggest Boob of the year. While there are several deserved recipients - such as Troy Hebert, Kristy Nichols, Buddy Caldwell - Bobby Jindal appears to be in the lead. Who is going to win? Who is going to lose? We did, as they are all statewide officials.

Looks like The Louisiana State Troopers Association's support of John Bel Edwards was not limited to an endorsement - nor was their support limited to Edwards. Louisiana Voice has the numbers detailing more than $45,000 in political campaign contributions LSTA Executive Director David T. Young made with its money from 2003 to 2015 without the knowledge of its members. Nearly $24 thousand of that went to Bobby Jindal, but much of the remaining dough was used to hedge the LTSA's bets in the last governor's race: funding Jay Dardenne, Edwards, Scott Angelle.Edwards took in the most with $10,000. David Vitter didn't get any funds. Other Louisiana lawmakers received money as well. All the while,members who pay monthly dues - $30 for active troopers and $15 for retirees - knew nothing of the contributions. Dear Young, here's a lesson I learned at an early age: not piss off a state trooper. Ooops, looks like you just did and on a big scale.

The grandson of Wille Mae Seaton - of New Orleans' Willie Mae's Scotch House - has lived a pretty amazing life: Vietnam pow, White House chef responsible for a "seductive meal" that led to the stain on Monica Lewinsky's dress and also responsible for Dan Quayle's "potatoe" gaffe. Except, he never did any of that. Ronnie Seaton's book, Sir White House Chef, has been pulled because it is probably a load of bull. The White House denies he ever worked there and The National Personnel Records Center has no records of him serving in 'Nam. Kinda makes you wonder what's in the soup.

If the Saints win all their remaining four games they will have an 11 percent shot at the playoffs. (Right now they are at .7. Yes, point-seven.) Now, this must be done without Mark Ingram who was placed on the injured list on Wednesday. Whoop whoop! Told you this was our year!

Although Burl Cain has brushed off charges that he violated ethics by selling land to friends and family of inmates, he is resigning as warden of Angola as of Jan. 1. Now, let's just pause to realize that Cain has his flaws - the land deal, the housing deal, the A/C deal - he has done an incredible job at Angola, which was one of the most violent prisons in the nation before his arrival in 1995. No matter what you think of him or his take on the role of religion in reformation, for anyone who has ever been there and met the warden - I have - you know he runs the show. His replacement - may taxpayers and God have mercy on their soul - has big shoes to fill. And please, if you are someone who fills them well, stick to the ethics - this is one job where we cannot have instability.

After next week we may know the fate of the Confederate monuments in New Orleans. The city council will take up the issue on the 17th. It is not exactly a done deal: one council member, Latoya Cantrell - an African American, no less - is opposing the removal, as she says it did not come from the community and is a distraction for the real issues facing the city.As for those issues, she has a few. Read her full statement detailing them here. The Hayride provides a debate on the issue. If the monuments are removed it will be a landmark day in New Orleans - the city actually accomplished something. As for what that is - a distraction, pushing an uncomfortable history under the rug or a legit wiping out of racist monuments - is up to you.

Why are there so many smokers in Louisiana? Turns out the state doesn't spend the recommended amount of money to deter smoking. In fact, we rank 28th in the country on efforts to combat tobacco use with tobacco companies outspending the state $32 to $1 in promoting their products over our efforts to deter smoking. Smoking's bad, mkay, but if this is the reason we don't see those annoying truth commercials anymore, I'm kinda willing to look the other way on this issue.

Oh, New Orleans. On one hand, 30,000 people sign a petition to save the city's Confederate monuments. On the other, the ONLY person arrested in connection with the Bunny Park shooting is released because he was actually in Texas at the time (and there's video to prove it). Damn fine job, Crescent City. Damn fine.

John Bel Edwards released his list of people he is calling on to examine the future of public education and, wowzers, it includes people - some from right here in Acadiana - who actually have a background in teaching. In Louisiana. Not some other state. In actual classrooms. With years of experience. Gee, that kinda makes them more qualified than our state superintendent.

Could the "Prostitutes over Patriots" ad be a launching pad for Jared Arsement, the 31-year-old who created it? This blog looks at the piece and its rule breaking efforts to keep Vitter out of the mansion

The death of Victor White - shot in his side handcuffed in the custody of the Iberia Parish sheriff's department - will not be prosecuted. The evidence suggests that he was reaching for the gun - a .25 caliber pistol, one not carried by deputies, that somehow they missed while frisking him - with both hands when he accidentally shot himself. Or so it seems, as the reports don't seem to get into that, only offering the details and that no charges will be filed. Of course, this news exploded KATC's Facebook page with a lot of sleuthing and racial profiling and under-the-bus throwing and expert forensics and even some Uncle Tom labeling (the U.S. Attorney who handed down the report was an African American woman). Can't we all just get along ... without Facebook?

Brandon Browner is costing the Saints big numbers in flags and burnt coverage on the field ... and in the pocket book. This Times-Pic piece looks at the cost of cutting him. There are a few options, but they all involve paying his base salary next year - $2.75 million. But here's the real conundrum: why did we sign him to such a deal when almost all his his numbers were on the decline and, in his career, he leads the league in flags? Yes, leads as in not just this year but his whole flagging career.

The Heisman nominees are out and Leonard Fournette isn't on the list. Might it have something to do with that three-game losing streak or him getting shut down against 'Bama or the two losses that saw him rush for about 50 yards below his average? Still, he led the nation with 158 yards a game. I guess this Heisman thing is about hot right now, not hot a month-or-so ago. A sophomore, there is always next year (which is the mantra for Louisiana football fans these days anyway).

With John Bel Edwards looking to expand Medicaid on day 1 (or so), state senators are already warming to the idea. They asked the health department to draw up a proposal for doing just that and have it ready for Edwards. Not only does this bode well for those who need it, it bodes well for politics in Louisiana: these leges are showing a willingness to work across the aisle.

Here's a look at unemployment in Louisiana's nine metro areas during the last month. It is good news for seven - especially Lake Charles which has the third best percentage of jobs increases in the country thanks to construction projects. Those seven have seen drops in unemployment. The Lafayette metro area - including Lafayette, St. Martin, Iberia and Vermilion parishes - is not among those seven. Instead, our job decline - some 4,300 jobs in the last year - ranks as the worst in the nation. Other than eating at Darrell's and Dairy Barn, this has to be the first time Lafayette peeps should be jealous of Lake Charles peeps. Maybe it has something to do with the price of oil?

This blog points out that Bobby Jindal had a good idea once: everybody pays income tax. Jindal's plan was to set the minimum at 2 percent. Sounds good. But, what about Louisiana? With our economy, how do you pay income tax when you have no job because the governor was out running for president instead of running the state?

When Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne endorsed John Bel Edwards for governor, it rang the cronyism alarm with many experts waiting to see what Dardenne would get out of the deal. It is now final: he will serve as the commissioner of the Division of Administration — the main budget chief for the state.

The Grammy nominations are in and The Revelers - a Lafayette Cajun band that also put out an impressive swamp pop record - has earned one in the Regional Roots field for their album Get Ready. A super group of sorts, they include former members of The Red Stick Ramblers and The Pine Leaf Boys.

Angola Warden Burl Cain is the focus of two probes. One looks at allegations that he sold land to two real estate developers - both of which were friends or family of two murderers who are "receiving favorable treatment at Angola." The price tag on the land sale had to be in the millions range, as Cain had invested $2 million in the properties. Which begs the question: where does a public servant like Cain get that kind of dough? You'd think he would spring for a window unit or two at death row with some of it.

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education passed a new policy requiring high school seniors to apply for financial aid starting in 2018. If not, they will not be allowed to graduate. BESE says this measure would provide them funding for universities, community colleges and technical school. However, if a student does not wish to do so, they can sign a waiver saying they are opting out but did weigh the decision. BESE hopes this will encourage students to consider their options before graduation. Yeah, because no kid blindly signs forms in a rush to graduate. Check out the comments on this one: people are taking BESE to task over writing policies that impact students. Yeah, that's kinda what it does.

Shannon Sharpe says the Saints should cut Brandon Browner, the flag magnet who got burnt multiple times in the loss to the Panthers. You know, the one commentators kept laughing about not being able to keep up with Panther receivers. Let's start this now: Sharpe for defensive coordinator. Sue, he's tight end but he's making more sense than our current coaching staff. Make calls now!

Turns out that a lot of those campaign ads in the recent election season were not paid for by candidates but by outside Super Political Action Committees or PACS. In the governor's race alone, they paid for some 20,000 ads. Apparently, this is the way of the future as we can expect more now that the PACs have gained a foothold in Louisiana politics. Oh. Joy.

Louisiana Voice has a break down of the $20 million verdict awarded to a contractor after the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development shook him down in order for him to receive state work. Nah, not possible. Not in Louisiana.

Rep. Troy Brown - recently arrested after a Bayou Classic after-party for domestic violence (side-friend, remember?) - says he won't resign from office. However, he may not have a choice: the home address he listed on his arrest report falls out side the district he represents. Ooops. Speaking of the Bayou Classic, here's Southern's Human Jukebox Machine performing Adele's "Hello" at the game Brown attended.

Bayou Buzz contrasts Mitch Landrieu's handling of New Orleans violence with that of France's president after the Paris attacks. It also dives into his frequenting global warming summits. Here it says it is a good thing he will not run for Vitter's seat because he could not win.

Edwards views his election as a mandate from the voters on what they want. He says they elected him to do things he promised to do while running for governor - like raise the minimum wage (he wants it at $8.50), equal pay laws for women, Medicaid expansion and increasing the earned income tax credit. Wait, he had a platform? I thought everyone voted for Edwards because he wasn't David Vitter.

The guys and girls who like guys and girls at Queerty - calm down, that's the site's actual name - named David Vitter and Bobby Jindal to its list of "Five Dumbass Antigay Activists Who Unintentionally Helped Our Cause This Year." They reason being that the two helped get John Bel Edwards elected, which helped gays in Louisiana because of the anti-discrimination act he promises to pass.

Treasure John Kennedy has come out to warn John Bel Edwards about his plans for Medicaid expansion. In this time of budget cuts Kennedy says it is important that we look to provisions and restrictions made by other states. In other words, he says don't give a "Rolls Royce" version of Medicaid. With our budget woes, that won't be a problem. Louisiana, you are getting the Ford Ranger of Medicaid.

The hunt for Louisiana's speaker of the house lost one candidate as Republican Thomas Carmody of Shreveport bowed out because he does not have the votes to win it. In the Republican controlled capitol, John Bel Edwards is backing Democrat Walt Leger against another Republican Cameron Henry. Will bipartisanship prevail or will candidates fall in line with their colors? You probably know the answer to this one.

The Second Amendment is great and all but this is really frightening. Louisiana has scored the lowest score for gun control in the country. Sure, we expected to have a lower grade than California but our grade is pretty pathetic. Seven. Out of 120. That's our score. Seven out of 120. Are we giving away guns in Happy Meals? Here Lamar White talks about some of the problems and offers possible solutions.

The Amite Warriors made national news (USA Today gives a full break down with links to a video) when the whole team - even down to the water boy (maybe) - were suspended from playing in the semi-finals game of the Class 3A playoffs. The team beat Bogalusa handily but joined in a bench clearing brawl after the game. As per Louisiana High School Athletic Association rules, any and every team member who comes off the bench during a fight cannot play in the next game. Therefore, St. James - their scheduled opponent - automatically advances. Two things of note: the Tangipahoa school district (hey, that's where I am from!) appealed the ruling and was denied (playing by the rules is not just for the students!). And, secondly, this is the home team of Governor-elect John Bel Edwards (he attended a playoff game after winning the election). Can't win them all JBE but there's always next year.

I'm sorry ... were we talking about something? It's just .. well, Sandra Bullock adopted a 3 year old from Louisiana ... and ... well, I've been lobbying for her to shower her love and attention and money and love on another child from Louisiana for years. I'm just a little broken up that she didn't pick me, I mean him, to take with her out of this jungle. I'm super happy for you and the kid and all, you know ... if that's what you want ... but maybe next time? #youhadmeatwrestlingernesthemmingway #imamanamongmen

Look, it was fun and all, but it is time to pay your bill. Bobby Jindal's failed run for presidency cost Louisiana in travel - in the millions this year alone - and state trooper protection. Though he has skirted the bills through some budget trickery, he owes us that money. What did you think we would let it slide because you left us alone with all these deficits? Did you think it would all be ok when you won the presidency? Yeah, that wasn't happening.

The Saints don't have a chance of making Super Bowl 50. We knew that. But now, it seems no one on the squad is bound for the Pro Bowl. This blog speculates that no players will be picked on the team, not even Drew Brees. This would be the first time since the 2007 season the Saints were not represented at the event. But on the bright side, who watches that mess of a game any way?

Donald Trump attempted to meet with black pastors in what was supposed to be a massive endorsing event. However, that backfired when 100 of them decided to opt out - Trump blames #blacklivesmatter. But, one Opelousas pastor was still down with The Donald, meeting him in New York on Monday. Rev. Kerney Thomas, a pastor at the Opelousas Life Church, says he will endorse Trump. While your at it Rev., hook him up with a good Sunday hat to cover that "hair" of his.

Louisiana and New Orleans came in at number five on a couple bad lists recently. Louisiana made the number five spot for worst drivers in the nation, based on the rate of fatal auto accidents, drunk driving, speeding, distracted driving, breaking traffic laws and driving without seat belts. As for New Orleans, it is the number five fattest and laziest city in the country based on the obesity rate, fast food restaurants per capita, unemployment rate and geo-located tweets containing the words "fat" and "lazy". While that doesn't really sound all that scientific - our economy sucks, leave us alone - it is hard to argue with the findings, especially with this massive fried shrimp poboy I am holding.

Is dookie water going to save our coastline? A company sure hopes so or it has been getting swamped in treated sewerage and waste water for nothing. Wetlands Resources uses it to grow grass and cypress trees in special pods that will help them fight erosion. So, keep on flushing!

It just keeps getting worse for David Vitter. Morning Consult reports that his approval numbers are pretty awful - 47 percent. Bill Cassidy, on the other hand, sunk to 44 percent. That's bad but what is worse is that 24 percent of those polled didn't know enough about him to rate his job. Doing stellar work, you guys!

Whoa. It really seems like this should should have been covered more. Instead, it got lost in the election season that featured David Vitter. Buddy Caldwell - our attorney general for, like, forever - has been up to a nice little racket. Cronyism in Louisiana? Nah ...

Bobby Jindal and John Bel Edwards met with each other then met with the media about issues and transitions at the governor's office. But, they would only divulge one specific issue that was discussed: school vouchers. Jindal asked Edwards to keep his program going and to meet and discuss the issue with students and parents who receive the vouchers. Edwards didn't exactly commit to the meeting or acknowledge their safety, but is known to be in favor of limiting the program instead of removing it. But, one thing came out this week: Edwards will sign an order protecting gays and lesbians in state jobs and state contracted jobs. Did you catch that? Came out? Get it! Sorry, it is hard to joke about the children and the equal rights.

Have the Saints joined us in saying, "there's always next year"? This blog says yes, and performances like this means no one - coaches, general managers and sacred cow players - is safe anymore.Wait, this was supposed to be our rebuild year. Oh well, there's always next year.

Oh man, this is the Bobby Jindal we could have gotten behind! A new book out by Buzzfeed reporter McKay Coppins (ok, we will ignore that ridiculous job title) claims that Bobby Jindal emulated Gordon Gekko (of Wall Street) as a lad, even carrying a briefcase to school and sporting bow ties before they were faux nerd cool. He also once asked a minister if The Little Mermaid was in the Bible. Are you sure? That seems like too much personality for the Raisin.

Stephanie Grace proclaims the defeat of David Vitter and the suspension of Bobby Jindal's campaign as the death of an era in Louisiana politics. From there, she ponders who will now run the show. It's ok, Bobby,even though your day is done, you are still on the ballot in Florida. So you are telling me there is a chance?

We get rid of Vitter and now we have this guy, smh. State Sen. Troy Brown, a Democrat, was arrested over the weekend - after attending the Bayou Classic where he admittedly consumed a few alcoholic beverages - for domestic simple battery. Brown - who sponsored legislation establishing the Louisiana Domestic Violence Commission last spring - allegedly punched a woman after arguing with her friend in a New Orleans hotel room. But now he is pleading not guilty because he can't remember it thanks to a car accident 24 years ago. Ok, that's a valid defense. Making matters worse, the case is domestic abuse because she is Brown's "side-friend," according to her and the police. Not his wife, but his side-friend of 10 years. Side-friend. Side- friend? Of course, Conservatives are drawing parallels - or non-parallels as in the lack of outrage - to Vitter's serious sin.

Today, LSU fans love Les Miles but hate Athletic Director Joe Alleva. Fans booed his recorded message at Saturday's game and hung signs demanding his firing. This editorial calls him inept and the Napoleon Dynamite of athletic directors (does that mean he has sweet dance moves?). Word around the campfire is that LSU didn't keep Miles based on merit but because Florida State's Jimbo Fisher opted to remain in Tallahassee. Gee, that's just what we need - another guy named Jimbo in Louisiana.

This piece is an it-will-be-ok note to liberals who like JBE and abortion. While it says you wish he would be more progressive and go after guns and shore up abortion rights, you can't let it be a deal breaker. Basically, although he's not everything you wanted he is something you got.

The good news is we made it through another hurricane season unscathed. The bad news is we owe that to El Niño, which means, historically, a colder and wetter winter. So in the throes of winter woes, just think about how nice it was not having to evacuate.

Gambit looks at the election season one last time and picks the winners and losers. It's not just Democrats and Edwards. Instead, it offers the messages and groups that came out ahead and behind this time around. Vitter's fail, they rationalize, means a halt to race/nationality based fear mongering (does this mean the Syrian Refugee crisis is officially over?) Seriously, does Gambit not have Facebook?

No matter how you cut it, the budget is a big problem as Bobby Jindal leaves office and John Bel Edwards enters. While The Advocatelooks at the problem it considers a shell game, an LSU student offers a fix that you just won't like: raise taxes.

I hate to even mention this because the story could change as I type, but Les Miles, y'all. Looks like he is staying. News stories went back and forth over the weekend: one minute he is saying A&M would be his last game, the next he is denying it. Apparently, the decision was made to keep him sometime in the third quarter. Maybe it had something to do with Bobby Jindal throwing his weight behind him. Nah, probably not. Well, there's always next year Tiger fans!

The endorsement by the Louisiana State Troopers Association isn't going away. Troopers from Troop 1, out of Lafayette, are supposedly calling for the resignation of LTSA president Jay O’Quinn and David Young, the organization’s executive director. And to think, this was all not necessary to defeat VItter.

Aljazeera America goes in deep on the Syrian refugee issue. Deeply personal that is, interviewing actual - gasp - refugees. Well, one who has been here for 22 years and has been in contact with the 13 refugees in Louisiana. It examines their plight and the political maneuvering they were part of during the governor's race. Oh wait, there has been Syrians among us for all this time? Run for the hills!

It will be fierce and expensive and take in candidate from all over, including, perhaps, Scott Angelle, a failed candidate for governor. So in other words, just like the past govenornor's race. Yay ... said nobody.

Lamar White Jr. bids farewell to Bobby Jindal - and offers a little about governor elect John Bel Edwards. He seems sad to see Jindal go, even posting a picture of the two. But it is not because he will be missed but because of the fodder he provided. Sniff.

You order a lot of stuff online for the holidays and a lot of people are sending you stuff. It will likely come via UPS. Please don't shoot the messenger, er delivery man. This is a hoax. UPS drivers drive UPS trucks. And, just so you know, sometimes they rent U-Haul trucks because they can't keep up with holiday shipping. True story.

Another post-mortem piece on the governor's race offers a lot more meat than previous ones. This one looks at why Vitter's past derailed him in 2015 but not in 2010. It boils down to a little bit of timing, a lot of out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

John Bel Edwards received a nice endorsement from Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne - himself a failed candidate for governor. Here, The Hayride examines a radio interview with Dardenne that offered a glimpse of his future and whether or not it includes a spot on Edwards' staff, plus guesses about how the new governor will run things.

Need another reason to stay home today and instead go to Small Business Saturday? It might keep a black eye off your face and your butt out of jail. according to this, Louisiana is fourth on the list of states where shoppers will most likely brawl at Black Friday shopping. That Cuddle-me Twilight Sparkle just ain't worth it. Besides, all I really want is a vintage Black Pot T-shirt.

Pro tips: no ice whatsoever. Take some hot water to the cavity even if you think it's completely thawed. Heat the grease 25 degrees hotter than your recipe says, because of the temperature drop when the cold bird goes into the pot. If your recipe calls for anything other than three minutes a pound at 325 degrees, you are using the wrong recipe. It is easier to fry two small-to-medium turkeys than one large. While that $40 pot of oil is hot, throw a couple whole chickens in there - you're welcome. And, have your oven preheated just in case. There's no shame in that.

I guess that's an oxymoron in this parish, as now Michael's, the last one open in Lafayette Parish, is under investigation for prostitution. In their defense, dancers from the club took to KATC's Facebook to say that while they may work the pole, they aren't working girls and that the issue stems from a dancer giving an undercover cop her number. Looks like more investigation is needed. Make your tax payments in singles!

"The first turkey is placed upside down in a dangling bucket that has a hole in the bottom for his neck to fit through. He is secured in with a clamp." If you are in PETA, stop reading now: here's a look at a day in the life on Gotreaux Family Farms in Scott. A turkey killing day.

Les Miles may not have too much to be thankful for this week, but ESPN is saying Tiger fans might want to put the brakes on his firing. After all, when it comes to winning percentages, he has a better one than Nick Saban. That's no crystal football but it is something.

Two North Webster High School players were arrested - one wearing his high school playoff shirt - last week for misdemeanor carnal knowledge of a juvenile (they are 17 and 18 she's 14). Twelve hours later, (after making bail) they were allowed to play a playoff game. John Ware, head coach of the Knights, warned the media he would walk off if asked any arrest-related questions. The only justice here appears to be the loss they took at the hands of Amite High School. Way to go Warriors!

At first, it read like the noose on LSU's campus - looking at a stamp upside down and imagining racism. Granted, not a far leap as the bar in question, Reggie's, flies the Confederate flag. Then, you realize that is not how you spell Reggie's.

Whether you voted for him because you believe in him, because you don't believe in VItter or you couldn't bring yourself to vote for either one, you have to admit it: it is hard to envy this guy. No matter which way he goes, he will be beset with problems. Start the betting now on him being re-elected.

Louisiana Voice breaks down the cost of the governor's election. Startling stuff. And it is not just the money spent but something else: according to them there was not a word on turning this state around.

Bobby Jindal will spend much of his remaining days in office as he spent much of his days in office: traveling. At least this time it will be in our state. Jindal is taking what you could call a farewell tour or a non-victory lap, stopping all over the state to speak. Did he not hear about how unpopular he is?

Two prisoners in the Lafourche Parish Detention were busted with a gun made of soap and toilet paper. I wonder if they saw the how-to on Pinterest. You know, fake guns never turn out the way they look on Pinterest. They planned to use it in an escape attempt. Brings new meaning to drop the soap.

The Times-Pic dives into the impact of higher education cuts in Louisiana: bigger classes, prolonged time to get a degree and more adds up to a dangerous cycle - our universities are less attractive, which means less money, which means the problems that started it in the first place. Seems like this should be a priority to someone.

UL lost a heart breaker Saturday night. But, Elijah McGuire came out of his slump. Running for two touchdowns (64 and 27 yards respectively), he racked up 164 yards. That second TD run was a thing of beauty, outmaneuvering the defense in two separate spots. Hopefully, McGuire will keep it up for the remaining two games.

Not only is Les Miles about to get wiped out of a job, he got wiped out at Saturday's Ole Miss game. Even if he were to win against A&M, this report says it is not looking good. BTW, Coach Hud would have leveled this guy. Just saying.

Oh man, what a Jerry Maguire moment. Following his firing, Rob Ryan went on NFL Gameday and took the plunge, saying we blame everything on him - even Katrina. Wait, you were the defensive coordinator, right? Our defense sucks, right? Yeaaaaahhhh, that would be your fault. (Then again, in his defense there is this. Get it? Defense?)

Did David, Bobby and John see this before making all that no-refugee flap? If they would have allowed a few in if they would have seen this compilation of “13 Syrian Refugees We’d Take Immediately" by The Daily Caller. Compiled by master stalking techniques, it includes women who are "Syria-sly hot." While the page is still up, the photos have been deleted.

John Bel Edwards - despite covering himself in a coat of Republican red ideas and leanings for the election - maintains that his first order of business on the first day in office will be to sign an executive order to expand Medicaid, covering some 225,000 residents. Look, that's fine and all, but in case you haven't heard our economy just waved a white flag and you aren't exactly perceived as the pro-business guy. So, if you want to keep the Obamacare promise, how about cooking up something pro-business to do on Day 1 as well to keep those on the ledge from jumping? We need a positive omen right about now.

In case you were in doing something - really, anything - better and haven't heard, the governor's race is, at last, over. John Bel Edwards is now our governor-elect, besting David VItter by 12 points. It wasn't the 20 he had polled at, but it was still an impressive victory for a Democrat in a Republican state. Here, Stephanie Grace looks at how he accomplished that. To be honest, though, with Republicans staking out other statewide offices last night, it came down to two words: serious sin. Many could not get behind a guy with VItter's past - even if it meant not voting or *gasp* voting for a Democrat. Of course, it might also have been Bobby Jindal's fault.

Louisiana's Attoney General Buddy Caldwell may be a Republican, but he's got a touch of Huey Long and Edwin Edwards in him when it comes to zingers. Not only is this race - overshadowed by the governor's race - going on, it is worth watching for Caldwell's quips against challenger Jeff Landry, also a Republican. I'm hoping Caldwell keeps his job so we can be treated to another round of gems like this in four years: "Jeff Landry hides from the truth like Dracula hides from the sunshine."

Robert Mann calls out Vitter for his warpath on refugees while failing to question his wife about it: she is general counsel for the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, which is hosting the whooping 14 Syrian refugees in our state. Speaking of the Catholics and the Syrians: here's a piece form The Advertiser that, well, I don't know. It says the local agency is under no obligation to take refugees. But will you? Readers need to know to sleep tonight! Me, I am not scared, no. Anonymous is on the case.

This week, various outlets reacted to the announcement that Bobby Jindal was coming hoem to govern Louisiana for the last couple months of his term. Much of it wasn't pleasant. Some of it was realllly nasty. This piece looks at what should have been Indian-Americans' Obama moment but was not. It says that was partly thanks to the name change, partly to the religion, partly due to the hyphenated Americans comments.This Atlantic piece looks at his failed candidacy, instead focusing on it as a whole instead of just his race. But, it too claims it comes down to identity problems - Jindal's lack of one and the changing of his identify being a problem. This Salon piece is less polite, asking why it took so long for him to quit and bringing up dubious things he should be remembered for: like a turning a $865 million surplus into a $1.6 billion deficit . But, the least kind is this Deadspin piece - which is loaded with NSFW language, even in the title. It starts out: "Bobby Jindal will no longer pursue the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He also will not pursue Alpha Centauri, or growing a second head out of his left shoulder, or the Elder Wand. Dogs will not shoot lasers from their eyes. The sun will not be a showerhead that sprays grapefruit juice. Many things will not happen; we might as well list all of them, if the end of Bobby Jindal’s 2016 campaign is news." Don't miss Gambit's collection of Twitter reactions to Jindal's campaign drop-out, er, suspension. There's a nice Michael Bolton reference to be found.

The Hayride and Louisiana Voice - on opposite ends of the political spectrum - both point out a bit of weirdness about the Louisiana State Troopers Association endorsement of John Bel Edwards. Turns out that it was a rare, if not unprecedented, move done without member input and not at all allowed under the organization's guidelines. On the Hayride – which is anti-Edwards - the move is drawing conspiracy theories, particularly that Edwards warned them of consequences if they did not. Louisiana Voice - which is anti-Vitter - takes it a step further, noting public servants can't even "like" candidates on Facebook, which it points out the disclosure division director of the state's Board of Ethics has done in regards to Vitter. The feel here is more that the head of the LTSA made the endorsement to secure his job but not at the threat of retribution, but with an eye for political savvy. It’s argued that if Vitter would have been ahead in the polls, they would have endorsed him. So, if you base your voting on the endorsement of state troopers (totally a great policy) you might want to think twice.

New Orleans' own Anthony Mackie - The Falcon from the Captain America movies - went on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and talked about going to Saints games, losing Rob Ryan ("Thank God!" he says) and having to get new seats because he was kissing nuns at games. It's a rare highlight for this season. He should head over here and vote whether or not letting Rob Ryan go was a good move. So far, the yeas have it at 70 percent. (That poll probably has a better turnout than our governor's race will.)

Ah, it is that time of the year again. When he weather gets cold and LSU fans start to clamor for the firing of Les Miles. Not only are the fans calling for it, but now reports say the university might pull the trigger if he drops to Ole Miss and A&M. If he survives, just wait until next year: he'll get a few wins under his belt and you'll love him again!

So, you read all the pieces about David Vitter and John Bel Edwards. You watched the debates. You DVR'd the ads. You read up on their voting records. But, how well do you really know the two candidates? The Advocate quizzes voters on the differences between the two. Here's a hint: if you get stumped, pick "both candidates." You will get at least a C. At least it's not one of those "Which type of carrot are you" quizzes that are always on my newsfeed.

Our refugee count is still holding strong at 14. Or maybe it is 13 - we are not sure. Catholic Charities, which received the refugees, admits that one of them left the state to visit family in Washington, D.C., and they have not heard from him or her yet. I smell a conspiracy! (Typically, immigrants aren't tracked in that manner in this country by any agency other than the Minuteman Project and your Uncle Steve with the van.) The organization is also reporting that people have made death threats in regards to the refugees. Well, that is certainly a Christian thing to do. Take that as you may.

In this weekend's election coverage, there was an odd mention of Cleo Fields - who in 1997 was caught taking 20,000 from Edwin Edwards. David Vitter's camp is now calling out John Bel Edwards for having Fields as part of his campaign. Fields was on a plane to a fundraiser James Carville held at his house, but as Doug Williams - Superbowl XXII MVP - points out, it was as his guest and only so Fields could go have dinner with his son.Edwards denies Fields involvement. But, Vitter's camp has found an ad for Edwards from the primary race that features Fields endorsing Edwards. Plus, Fields gave Edwards' campaign $5,000. Wonder if it was in small unmarked bill in a brown envelope.

Looks like the best sack the Saints laid out this season was that of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. This should have been in yesterday's update, but I was waiting it out. I mean, Monday was more of a roller coaster of a news day than the Giants game. First reports surfaced that Ryan was gone or on his way out; then Sean Payton came out and criticized the media for speculating; then, he came out and admitted Ryan had been let go. If you don't know why, you haven't been watching. Can't blame you but I can wonder why this took so long.

Vitter caught hell over missing a vote to honor fallen soldiers minutes before calling an escort service. Now, his phone records bit him in the diaper again. Vitter's calls have been tied to another day where he missed a meeting and made a similar call. This time the topic was developing vaccines to protect soldiers from biological warfare. Vitter: you may not want to skip out on information on vaccines. You might just need one.

Everyone has a right to an opinion but this is down right disgusting. You make a page to honor those injured and killed in the Grand 16 shooting and that's where you leave it. But that's not the case for Prayers For Lafayette. Instead, the Facebook page has come out in support of a Chad Leger, a political candidate running for the office of Lafayette Parish sheriff. Whoever is behind this - and this peiece points out there are odd similarities between the page and Leger's own profile - is essentially cashing in on the two lives lost and the many shattered. Now, it appears the page might have been removed. That's the only good thing about this whole stink show.

In front one of the wildest (debate) crowds in history, David Vitter and John Bel Edwards sparred one last time before the election. The debate itself was pretty rowdy: fists were literally pounded, fingers were pointed, voices were raised. Vitter accused Edwards of supporting the president in accepting Syrian refugees. Edwards countered with assertions Vitter was twisting the truth and that Vitter missed meetings that could have dealt with problems like that. The crowd was the real star: one organizer saying it was the rowdiest bunch in 40 years and an uncontrollable crowd that interrupted the candidates. At one point, the two men almost came to blows as the crowd chanted "World Star." Not really, but one can only dream.

The Cure opens their national tour in New Orleans. Tickets for the May 11 show at the UNO Lakefront Arena go on sale Friday. What did that actor's wife say about us not being cosmopolitan because New Orleans doesn't have kale? TELL THAT TO ROBERT SMITH AND THE CURE!

This just in: Bobby Jindal won't endorse either candidate for governor. Well, that certainly just killed this whole thing. How will vitter and Edwards ever finish this thing off without a Jindal endorsement? I guess we should just close the polls and go home now. In other related news, Edwards and Vitter congratulate each other on Jindal's announcement. Not really. But, seriously.

The Advocate goes across the state to catch up with all the glad-handing David Vitter and John Bel Edwards and their camps are doing. It's nothing earth shattering but provides a nice cross section of what voters are thinking.There's also an odd mention of how Cleo Fields is NOT a part of Edwards' campaign.

Ok, so John Bel Edwards says pause, David Vitter says stop when it comes to Syrian refugees entering Louisiana in the wake of the Paris terror attack. Vitter even asked New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu (not exactly his pod'nuh) to join him in asking President Obama to stop allowing Syrians into the U.S. You may say they have a point, you may say they are using a tragedy to grab votes in the days leading up to the election, but officials say meh - there's only 13 or 14 refugees in the New Orleans area so far. BTW, that herd of 10,000 refugees you keep hearing about coming to Louisiana is the number that our entire nation is set to take.

Last week a picture of a noose hanging from a tree at LSU went somewhat viral in Baton Rouge. Turns out the person who posted it is likely not in school to be an electrical lineman as it was a part of a power line. At least that's what we wanted you to think.

With the big day upon us, there's a lot to digest. Jeff Sadow warns an Edwards win could infringe upon the Second Amendment. Vitter warns that the Supreme Court's ruling could lead to cramming stuff down Christian throats. No mention of Starbucks cups, though. Here's a look at how a country boy from Amite - if you ever want to see a town asleep, go to Amite - gained a 20 point lead on an established political powerhouse in the governor's race. Some of you are nodding in agreement. Some of you are laughing. See y'all at the polls.

Looks like the affordable care in the Affordable Care Act is getting a bit less affordable. Rate hikes are driving up costs anywhere from 6.4 to 29.5 percent for some of the 200,000 Louisiana residents with Obamacare. All the while, out of pocket expenses are also going up and less doctors are available. Yet, even with hikes some residents say it is still more affordable than plans outside of the exchanges. So, thanks and you're welcome?

UNO polled likely voters about the current governor and the governor's race and it is not looking good for Bobby Jindal or David Vitter. At 20 percent, Jindal's approval rating is lower than any U.S. president - Harry Truman hit 22, George W. Bush hit 25. The poll suggests people are so dissatisfied with Jindal that they are turning away from Vitter. Other damning results for Jindal: 70 percent disapprove of his performance, more than 50 percent strongly disapprove of him and 67 percent say Louisiana is headed in the wrong direction. Of course, Jindal's popularity isn't what it once was and this poll was likely conducted in or around the New Orleans area - a stronghold for Democrats. But, it did find that Republican respondents are twice as likely to strongly disapprove of Jindal as they were a year ago. So, the question is: were Jindal to make the Republican nomination, would he even carry Louisiana?

The irony is too much. After the Grand Shooting 16, Bobby Jindal criticized those who responded with cries of gun control - asking for it instead to be a time to mourn. Now, after Paris, Jindal (the child of migrants himself) cries - in the form of a letter to the president - about Syrian immigration. It's great political grandstanding and there is certainly an issue here as the French policy failed ... but, Bobby, that letter isn't getting read.

Seriously? Just a little campaign tip for you, John Bel Edwards: you may want to think about where you go when you no-show a Louisiana Family Forum event, especially when your opponent is David Vitter and you have come out blazing about his serious sin. True, the event you missed was by anti-gay, ultra conservative group but the issue is not missing it. I doubt you really wanted to attend (or that they really wanted you) to attend anyway. The issue the Hayride and other conservative outlets gone wild about is you missed it for a meet-and-greet at Lyve, a New Orleans night club. I know you have to go after the African-American vote, but there's other places to do it at than Lyve - the club looks like a strip club (judging from the repeated, and I mean repeated, viewing of scrubbing the ground and working the pole videos I watched on the club's Instagram) that also books rap acts on the side (or vice versa or maybe both at the same time. I don't know - I'm white and married). If it's not a strip club, the club is guilty of false advertising. Though the club deleted your meet-and-greet flyer but not the enumerable flyers of luscious badonkadonk (and I mean Ba. Donk. A. Donk) the club showcases. I don't know if Cakez or any of the other bad girls of NOLA were making it a clap back the night you were there but it just looks bad when your campaign advertisement is showing up alongside girls who look like Nicki Minaj's less famous but even more under clothed sister. Next time, have someone - say a campaign manager, being that is their job - actually vet the establishment at which you will be appearing. I hear the Hustler Club is nice this time of year. (In grain of salt news, the Hayride is making a thousand a month off Vitter and though the video does show a purple party bus - complete with two stripper poles - that will take early voters to the polls it's not clear what club Edwards entered. The Instagram post does bear similarities to others made by the club.)

Duck Dynasty's Willie Robertson is on an ad for David Vitter reminding us that we've all made mistakes and shouldn't hold that against his candidate. You know something? He's right. We shouldn't. I mean, after all, I can't tell you how many times I've called prostitutes - I mean high end escorts - even though I'm married. Sometimes, I even blow off work to do do. Later, I ask them to have my abortion, which is something I'm totally against for you people. Or, I can't tell you all the times I've sent investigators to spy on my opponents. I mean, he totally opened up about it and have made some sincere apologies. He's ready to lead. Let's leave all those mistakes in the past where they belong and vote him into office!

It is hard to tackle LSU's Leonard Fournette on the fottoball field - unless you are wearing an Alabama jersey - but now the NCAA might be giving it a shot. Reports say LSU's investigation into the running back's family came from the NCAA and concern a website and merchandise on which his family reportedly received discount rates. This comes as Fournette is having a Heisman-contender season. But if past indicators hold up, a little investigation for violating the rules or rape or an arrest record might actually help his chances at nabbing college football's top prize.

CNN looks into the Marksville shooting and examines the strange role of marshalls in Marksville that is said to have started after a feud between the mayor and a city judge. It provides your typical poverty in a small town angle that could be said about nearly any small town in our state. The Washington Post (read it here) also came to Marksville, reporting that the night Chris Few and his 6-year-old son,Jeremy David Mardis, were shot, Few and his sometimes girlfriend (she identified herself after the shooting as his fiancée) Megan Dixon drank beer, shot Tequila and fought at a bar. The Post says she ended their relationship, danced with a bartender and he left angrily. While this does beg the question of where the boy was at the time and why was he in the car with Few, it doesn't matter. The situation in Marksville doesn't change the fact that two officers/marshals/whatever opened fire on an unarmed man and his son, killing the boy.

The facts are in and Bobby Jindal is wrong about two things - we're talking about just in the debate, not about everything else. FactCheck.org calls out Jindal on his claim that Louisiana has more people working than ever (yeaaaaahhh, right!) and his assertion that our credit is has been upgraded (again!). Seriously, with a $117 million deficit even Showtyme Furniture won't give us a bed room set and flat screen TV. We're gonna have to see the Special Man.

After watching the debate earlier this week, Fox News' Jesse Walters said Bobby Jindal looked like a raisin. Walters said Jindal was in attack mode, going crazy on every one on stage and even some not on the stage. Still, he says, Jindal's a like a raisin. "He’s just not very physically impressive, when you look at him he kind of looks like a raisin, a little bit. You know, he’s just small. and wrinkly, and shrunken, and he just doesn’t have an imposing dynamic," said Walters. I see what you did there: talking about his browness without talking about it. Very deft, good sir. No word yet if Jindal is going to own it like he did with his "Tanned. Rested. Ready." slogan.

David Vitter and John Bel Edwards agree on one thing. Too bad they can do little about it. This Times-Picayune piece looks a their view on Common Core and state education Superintendent John White. They want both gone. But, it's not that easy, the piece explains. Governors don't have that power. Sorry guys ... maybe puppies? Do ya'll agree on puppies? #puppiesoverprostitutes

A new study shows that the Deepwater Horizon spill might not have been cleaned up as well as we thought. The University of Georgia's Samantha Joye authored a study that says the bacteria - shaped like a "fat little sausage" - known to eat the oil didn't multiply as it should have and another bacteria - not as hungry of a bacteria - multiplied more. So: where is the oil and what did we really disperse chemicals into the Gulf for naught?

After the 2012 theater shooting during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises, The Century 16 Cinema reopened amid complaints from victims' families. The same will not be said of the Grand 16. After four months of being closed following the July shooting that killed Mayci Breaux and Jillian Johnson, the Grand will reopen on Nov. 19. The thinking is that reopening will send a message of our town's healing, our resolve and show that a crazed gunman will not change the way we live. The theater has undegone a massive remodel, all the way from the seats to the exterior paint. Breaux's mother is on board, noting that the removal of barriacades is welcome change. Says Dondie Breaux, “I don’t like driving there and seeing the barricades, it’s like a reminder.”

Here's more than you care to read about the recent arrest of a Vitter campaign worker on spying charges. It looks like Vitter is trying to prove his opponents are out to buy nasty stories about him. There's also video of Vitter operatives trying to discredit claims prostitutes made about him. How bad does he want it? The Vitter campaign has allegedly paid one sleuth $135,000. How many burner cell phones do you think that could have bought? Note to Vitter: that is a better future investment.

David Vitter and John Bel Edwards squared off in a debate that was bound to get hostile after the latter's "Prostitutes over Patriots" ad. Although it wasn't as humorous as Jindal's juice box and flush comments, it was heavy on the hatred. Vitter's rode a white horse to the tune of, “There’s nobody who has been the target of more negative campaigning than me.” Edwards quipped back at comments like that with, “If it’s a low blow, then that’s because of where you live, senator.” Jeff Sadow blogged about the debate, giving a near play by play - so you don't have to watch it - and says because it was about issues not scandals, it went in Vitter's favor.

In this week's Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee, Bobby Jindal shone like a dirty penny in the sun. On the issues, he seemed either confused or overly optimistic about the state of Louisiana's economy. Or, he believes most of us just started working. Jindal pumped our unemployment rate, but moderators pointed out it is higher than the national average. To which he replied, "We have more people working in Louisiana than ever before," Jindal insisted. Uhm, maybe you should check into the state you lead every now and then before making assertions like that. Jindal also seems to be turning to humor to boost his poll results. After sparring with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Jindal offered him a participation ribbon and a juice box. He also took it old school - as in grade school - and went after his opponents (merely just minor obstacles in his inevitable rise to the top of the polls and ascension to the White House) with a toilet metaphor."They give the long speeches called filibusters, they pat themselves on the back, nothing changes when they go to relieve themselves, their cause and the toilets get flushed at the same time and the American people lose," said Jindal. The reaction was pretty flat, as the people who attended were there to see a poltical debate and not the latest Adam Sandler film. You keep it up, Bobby! You gonna crack 3 percent in the polls soon enough!

In case you haven't heard - meaning you have stuck to the news that matters - there is a big "controversy" about Starbucks coffee cups. Seems like they aren't Christmas-y enough. (MAYBE BECAUSE IT IS BARELY NO-FRICKIN-VEMBER). Some Christians - and I mean some, not all - have their jingle bells in a twist about this being a part of some kind of war on Christianity. Todd Starnes, a Fox News blogger, says relax: it's just a cup. Hey, at least it's red and not fuscia, which is the official color of the war on Christianity. Oh wait, forget that last part.

Former LSU Tiger QB - helping them take home the BCS title back in the 2007-2008 season - Matt Flynn is set to be a Saint. Flynn has been all over the league fighting for a starting role and backing up the likes of Aaron Rodgers. His biggest highlight came with the Packers against Detroit in 2012, where he set a single game club record by throwing for 480 yards and six touchdowns. He will back up Drew Brees now that Luke McCown's season is over thanks to back surgery. Just don't make any commercials, kid.

Bobby Jindal and a couple GOP candidates - and by that I mean candidates to not win the nomination - are under fire after comments made by Kevin Swanson during a speaking engagement. Jindal,Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee attended the event where Swanson - on stage alone - launched into a diatribe about how homosexuality is "worthy of death." Jindal and crew are being accused of supporting Swanson, which totally isn't fair. I mean they did just show up at the event moderated by Swanson - who is known for such vitriol - and take questions about how Christianity is under attack by the gays and the abortions. No foul there, am I right?

Well, that only took eight years. David Vitter finally opens up about his serious sin, but not really. Here he offers a hit-it-and-quit-it comment on it in a new political ad. Vitter offers a mea culpa on the scandal - which broke in 2007 and saw his phone number showing up on the phone records of a brothel. Says Vitter, “I learned that our falls don’t define us, but rather how we get up, accept responsibility and earn redemption.”

Is John Bel Edwards pro-life or pro-choice? This blog says he is pro choice or, as he allegedly once put it, in favor of “the freedom of choice, between the appropriate parties and their higher power.” Edwards claims he never made that comment but the site is steadfast in its assertion. They also claim he has voted pro-choice and has weakened the language in legislation in favor of abortion. In other Edwards news, Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd called his attack ad on David Vitter - calling out Vitter for missing a vote the same day he was gabbing it up with prostitutes - the nastiest ever. Wow, that's saying something. See more here.

Polls aren't always accurate and past leanings don't always predict future voter outcomes. With that in mind, Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball - which grades and predicts nationwide races - is now changing his mind about our governor's race. The site previously put it at a Vitter victory but now says - even in the face of the upset in Kentucky - it is a toss-up.

This just took a nasty turn. According to Megan Dixon, Chris Few's fiancée, one of the officers who shot few and his 6-year-old son had been messaging her on Facebook and even went to her house. Few warned the officer,Norris Greenhouse, Jr., that he would hurt him if he doing it.

Brandon Browner makes you miss Roman Harper. Not only is he leading the league in penalties - as of Sunday's game he was five flags ahead of 2nd place - he is a potty mouthed hothead. After the Saints lost to Tennessee on Sunday, reporters questioned Browner and the team in the locker room. At some point, he became livid and - depends on the source- had to be restrained or at least was advised to leave the room. It's their job to ask questions, just like it is your job to keep the football out of receivers' hands. Get it done without the flags. Personally, I hope your job will soon be making sure the bench doesn't fly off.

According to a report - or really just a Twitter update - the Saints might be open to letting Sean Payton become a coaching free agent if he desires at the end of the season (and some reports say he does). But, it is unclear if they could/would allow him under current Saints management as his contract opens up if there is a change in team control - i.e. Tom Benson no longer being the top banana. Here's a better idea: let go another member of the coaching staff. *Cough* Rob Ryan *cough.*

When one pipeline closes, another electric widow slides open. Although the Keystone XL Pipeline and the jobs it would have created are dead, there is a chance Louisiana could land a billion dollar electric car pant. Faraday Future says it will soon announce where it will build a billion dollar electric car plant. Louisiana is a finalist along with California, Georgia and Nevada.

In response to David Vitter's claim that John Bel Edwards would release "5,500 dangerous thugs," Wayne “Steve” Thompson - a criminal justice professor and retired Louisiana state police officer - puts things into perspective: "To sum it up, a man who threatens to kill a woman so she will not resist while he rapes her is required to do less time in jail than a person with a handful of cocaine or crack cocaine."

This piece in the Times-Picayune goes deeper into the John Bel Edwards ad about David Vitter's phone and voting records. Here, it puts the call to Vitter's working girl at 39 minutes after the 17 minute vote on honoring fallen soldiers took place. Vitter has not responded but sent out a quote from a vet who called Edwards' use fallen soldiers disgusting. This analysis suggests that Edwards is not comfortable with the lead he has in the polls, especially after the recent outcome in the Kentucky governor's race that countered what polls were suggesting.

If you are looking for some kind of rationale for officers opening fire on Chris Few and his 6-year-old son in Marksville, don't look here. According to Few's lawyer - who admits he only heard the description of the body camera video - Few had his hands up at the time of the shooting.

LSU couldn't get it done Saturday night, but Louisiana did defeat Alabama this weekend. In Larose, Guinness Book of Records officials confirmed the world's largest gumbo - a 5,800 pound pot buster. The record was previously held by Tuscaloosa in a previous LSU-Bama related match-up. Yeah, it was big but it wasn't as good as my granny's.

On Saturday, UL's Ragin' Cajuns managed to slip away with a victory over Georgia State in a game that should go down in history for one of the worst decisions and widest field goals in college football. Luckily, both were at the hands of Georgia State. Although they came out hot - driving to a field goal, then recovering a blocked punt for a touchdown on the first two series of the game - it came down to the wire. We received a lot of help on this one. GSU's kicker kicked a field goal that veered so wide the ball went into the stands. In the worst decision of all time, GSU tried a fake punt. In the fourth quarter. Up by one. Needing five yards. On their own 24. Of course it didn't work and the Cajuns were able to kick a field goal and hold on for a 23-21 victory.

When Bobby Jindal challenges Ted Cruz to a debate about Obamacare, it guarantees ratings ... if all the other stations are off the air (and even then, there's always Netflix and chill) . This blogger,however, is quite fired up about the potential of the GOP lower-to-middle carders locking horns. Hasn't he heard? The GOP nod is hanging on Dr. Ben Carson's scholarship non-offer.

On Friday, President Obama killed the Keystone XL Pipeline dead, ending its seven-year journey to pump Canadian crude to Gulf Coast refineries. Obama said it was just a symbol and it needed to go because of it not being green and stuff. Secretary of State John Kerry said it compromised national security, 'cause you know, Canadians and stuff. Our future governor - be it Edwards or Vitter - was on board with the pipeline as it could have brought construction and refinery jobs to the gulf coast. Wow, if those two could agree on it ...

The Marksville shooting is attracting national coverage after two officers - working as marshals at the time - opened fire on a pinned-in vehicle on a dead end street. There was no weapon in the car, just Chris Few and his 6-year-old son, Jeremy Mardis. Derrick Stafford and Norris Greenhouse Jr gunned down Few and Mardis, killing the boy and putting Few in critical condition. Initially, they claimed to be serving a warrant but no warrant has been found. Both are now facing murder and attempted murder charges. As for what started it, Few's fiancée tells how a confrontation between the couple at a red light kicked off the pursuit. Also, here's a piece about the officers' past that will make even the most ardent blue backer wonder why they had a job.

When a politician misses a vote on something key to their party;s platform - say honoring fallen soldiers when you are a Republican - it looks bad. Especially when it can be proven that on the day of the vote you were in Washington, D.C. When it can also be proven that on the same day you were making calls to a brothel, it is very, very damning.But, that's David Vitter. Here's a little closer look at the claim Vitter missed a vote to honor fallen soldiers to chat with a hooker. Maybe he was asking for her opinion on the issue.

Aziz Ansari - you know, that brown guy from that thing - graced us with his Bobby Jindal impersonation on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday night. Here he unveils his slogan, discusses his 100 percent surge in the polls, shows off his 25 cent campaign hats and explains the myth of photosynthesis

In case you have't heard, there is some kind of football contest this weekend pitting a team from Baton Rouge against a team from Tuscaloosa. Apparently one of them is undefeated and this scrimmage could be a spectacle worth the ages. Over in Baton Rouge, the local periodical ran an informative list of why fans of one team love to hate the other team. It's top drawer reading.

Searching David Vitter and John Bel Edwards on Google isn't as fun as it might seem. According to the Times-Pic, that is because of cheap Google advertising. However, this piece does uncover an interesting tidbit about the searches: searches for Edwards surged after the election and remain high. It's almost as if Louisiana voters went to the polls without being informed about the candidates. Nah, that couldn't be it.

There's no shortage of good bad carbs in this town. For evidence, look no further than Poupart's Bakery landing on thrillist.com‘s list of 21 Best Bakeries In America. Not too shabby, especially considering it is the only Louisiana bakery on the list. Just don't view this list on an empty stomach. It ain't cheat day yet.

John Bel Edwards - shhhh! - is a Democrat. Says so right by his name. If that doesn't convince you, here's his grade from the Louisiana Family Forum: 51 F. But, again, he is a Democrat and this is a conservative group dedicated to protecting the sanctity of marriage against the gays and other stuff. So, to repeat: Edwards is a Democrat. Liberal, too, I'll bet.

Rev. Tom Watson says New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu should back off on his efforts to remove the city's Confederate monuments. The Times Picayune reports the black leader sees the mayor's efforts as unneeded and a racially divisive smokescreen. It's a shell game in other words, drawing our gaze away from what he says the mayor and the city's people should be focusing on: crime.

There are two elephants in this room: one is Bill Cassidy; the other is what he's not mentioning. Republican Sen. Cassidy (and Same Eagle lookalike) comes out to endorse Vitter in true party line fashion. He outlines some good points for Republicans to vote for Vitter - hard worker, reaching across the aisle, etc. - but, he never mentions the issue that has fellow Republcians turning against Vitter: his serious sin.

Politics sure are dirty. Yesterday, Jay Dardenne - a Republican candidate for governor who didn't make the runoff - threw his weight behind John Bel Edwards. In response, Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere threw the S-bomb at Dardenne. “Today, Jay Dardenne became the Nick Saban of Louisiana Politics," Villere said. Ouch! Edwards, does that hurt worse than being called an Obamaist?

Depending on what side of the pipeline - or aisle - you sit on, the Keystone XL pipeline is either dead or just resting, waiting for the right time to pounce. TransCanada, the company behind it, has requested a delay that will likely push its fate past the 2016 presidential election. For its opponents, this means TransCanada has folded up in defeat. For proponents, they say the company realized it can't happen under the Obama administration and are hoping for a better climate after the next inauguration. Which side is right? Perhaps only time and voter turnout will tell.

Court that young vote, B! Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and danced (emphasis and sarcasm, mine) like most guests do. The show then turned the performance into a campaign commercial where he dances to "Hotline Bling" by Drake (the rapper, not the duck). His dance moves even look Socialist.

In election news, the Louisiana House Republican caucus has stepped out for Vitter, but as the Times Picayune reports, the same might not be true for the Senate. The paper notes that the nod is likely owed to the caucus head, Alexandria Rep. Lance Harris, a Vitter supporter. In the Senate, the recent spying arrest might derail the endorsement. Turns out its caucus is run by by Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, who was the target of Vitter's arrested private investigator. "That certainly didn't sit real well with me," Martiny said.

Bloggers from the Left attacked the Hayride over the thousand dollars a month the conservative site gets from the David Vitter campaign (as per campaign finance records) . Here, Scott McKay fires back saying it is for banner ads on the site and that he has the right to take money for such things. As long as you don't mind losing your objectivity, he's right. Besides, look at it this way: that's one less Nigerian prince to which he has to sell his e-mail list.

Following the Saints' Khiry Robinson's season-ending injury - this Sunday, wrecking his tibia against the Giants - the team has brought in Tim Hightower. Hightower was an offseason running back for the Saints, but he was let go before our opening loss against the Cardinals. For why he's back, check the highlights.

While this is not breaking news or hot outta the blogosphere, it does have some local right-now relevance. This piece - which concerned have shared on social media - looks at problems with elevated highways, focusing on a situation in Syracuse, N.Y. However, it's a warning to places like Lafayette and our proposed Interstate 49 plan. Looking to our east, it mentions the Claiborne Expressway in New Orleans, on which the city spent big bucks to determine if it should stay or go.

Only in Lafayette: KLFY reports that the people of Fernwood Subdivision have put their feet down and their signs up regarding thru traffic. The neighborhood is a shortcut between Ambassador Caffery and Johnston that, residents say, draws speeders. To remedy it, they have erected signs warding off non-residential drivers. City-parish government, on the other hand, says to take a picture of the signs because they won't be there long.

In St. Landry Parish, Step-N-Strut was one of the biggest trail rides going. That always brought out the boo-birds who complained about horses in the road and in their yards. Now, it looks like the days of Step-N-Strut being an actual trail ride have gone the way of the fais do do. After the recent weather, it has been moved from Plaisance to Opelousas, which doesn't allow horses in the roads. True, it appears to a a one-time change but these things have a way of sticking. Let's hope that this part of Creole culture makes it back next year.

Ok. Ok. Ok, ok, ok. Uhm, ok? Though we do need to think of a future without Drew Brees in it - despite these last few weeks having staved off the paper bags - but what is this guy smoking? With the NFL's trade deadline approaching, he argues that a good trade would be sending Drew Brees - yes the Drew Brees that broke records yesterday and continues to have good numbers in seasons that lack great results - to the Jets for a third round pick. Maybe we should use that trade to instead bring JaMarcus Russell out of retirement ... because both those things make sense, right?

Sorry, David Vitter, a campaign or SuperPAC employee who follows YOU around with a camera mounted on a tripod is not the same thing as your campaign spending $135,000 to stalk and spy on a lawyer at a coffee shop or a blogger in his home.

Kevin Allman of Gambit curates his own list of the best and most insightful news about the Louisiana governor's election. We, at La La, are going meta. In a list of stories about the election, we're linking to another list. Follow the rabbit hole.

Jeanette Maier, the Canal Street Madam, tells Jason Brad Berry of The American Zombie that three of her employees attended a party with David Vitter and that two of them had a sexual encounter with him.

If David Vitter hadn't defiantly denied rumors that he had ever slept with prostitutes in New Orleans, the media probavly would have left the story alone, says Gambit's Clancy DuBos. Instead, he raised the stakes, and now, he has only himself to blame.

A poll published on Tuesday shows Scott Angelle within the margin of error for second place. Edwards is still well-positioned as the frontrunner at 36%, but with Vitter at 19% and Angelle at 17%, it looks like we could be in for a big surprise on Saturday night.

A preview of David Vitter's run-off strategy (assuming he even makes the run-off). Today, his campaign posted a video of John Bel Edwards, standing behind Karen Carter Peterson, at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Spoiler alert: Edwards is a Democrat. Vitter has previewed his "Obama, Obama, Obama" strategy before, during a rare debate appearance. Vitter argued that Edwards was not really pro-life because he voted for President Obama, which is pretty specious. It's also hypocritcal. When Rudy Giuliani ran for president, Vitter was his Southern campaign chair; Giuliani is pro-choice.

Former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu is forming a SuperPAC with other former elected officials in order to support the campaigns of centrist candidates. This should come as no surprise to people in Louisiana. Landrieu, a Democrat, is widely known for her centrist and moderate positions. In her 2014 campaign, Boysie Bollinger, the ship magnate, even filmed a commercial for her; Bollinger is one of the state's top donors to Republican campaigns and causes.

This is why David Vitter missed Monday night's gubernatorial debate. He was busy in Washington, D.C., pushing legislation that would require poor people to show identification in order to pay for their food. Food stamp fraud in Louisiana, by the way, accounts for less than one percent of spending on the program. This is not a real problem. It's about shaming poor people who rely on government benefits to survive.

For several years, the district attorney's office in New Orleans has refused to provide defense attorneys with potentially exonerating information, resulting in dozens and dozens of wrongful convictions. The New York Times editorial board argues that this pattern of unethical and unconstitutional behavior has been propped up and facilitated by the U.S. Supreme Court, pointing to a recent decision authored by Justice Clarence Thomas that threw out a $14 million judgment in favor of a man wrongfully convicted. Justice Thomas, wrongly, argued that the verdict was improper because a pattern of misconduct had not been established. It's absurd. And more importantly, it is also a green light for unethical prosecutors.

U.S. Sen. David Vitter's older brother Jeffrey was named as chancellor of Ol' Miss today. Earlier this year, the former chancellor's contract was not renewed, a decision that prompted widespread protest among alumni and students.

Shortly after the LSU Tigers beat Florida on Saturday night, Gov. Bobby Jindal sent out an e-mail blast, urging people to donate $7 to his flailing presidential campaign, ostensibly to honor the football team.

Over the weekend, investigative reporter Jason Brad Berry published a bombshell interview with Wendy Ellis, a woman who claims to be David Vitter's former mistress. Ellis told Berry that she was once pregnant with Vitter's child and that Vitter asked her to get an abortion. Clancy DuBos of Gambit picked up on the story on Saturday, but by Sunday, he decided to pull his report. The problem? Upon closer inspection, Ellis's story does not completely add up.

This is a blockbuster story, and it will likely completely alter the contours of the governor's race. Jason Brad Berry of American Zombie interviews Wendy Ellis, who alleges the Senator asked her to have an abortion. She eventually decided to put the baby up for adoption.

LouisianaVoice recently filed a public request request seeking all correspondence related to the most recent gubernatorial debate at Louisiana Tech. The debate was a complete debacle. It was closed to both the public and the media, only offered on a handful of television stations statewide, and the livestream was beset by technical problems. Many suspect the format was negotiated by the Vitter campaign. It remains to be seen whether these are public records. The Vitter campaign's records are private, and although the debate was held at Louisiana Tech, the organization that actually hosted it is a private entity.

You should read Stephanie's takeaway, but here's mine: David Vitter has disrespected the entire state of Louisiana and insulted the democratic process in this state by repeatedly failing to participate in gubernatorial debates. According to the polls, he is losing, and for a good reason: He believes it's in the bag for him. He has all of the money and none of the support, and unless he decides to answer the tough questions, he deserves to lose.

Louisiana Progress put together a voter's guide on the issue of mass incarceration, reminding us that the state is the prison capital of the world. It's worth considering when you show up at the polls.

Apparently, Rolfe McCollister has never encountered a Louisiana Democrat. He's having difficulty wrapping his head around the notion that one can be both pro-life and pro-union, pro-Second Amendment and pro-public education.

The Republican Governor's Association recently launched a commercial attacking John Bel Edwards for authoring a bill that would expand Medicaid in Louisiana. Curiously, though, Medicaid expansion is also favored by all three of the leading Republican candidates.

Less than two weeks after asserting that he had enough votes to become the next House Majority Leader, Steve Scalise's bid is likely over. Kevin McCarthy's decision to bow out of the race for Speaker of the House means Scalise will probably have to stay put.

The Times-Picayune's in-depth profile of David Vitter includes a surprising detail: The career politician who has served in the State House, the House of Representatives, and the Senate for two decades, believes he is a political outsider.

According to the Republican Governor's Association, John Bel Edwards, the pro-Second Amendment, pro-life West Point graduate from rural Louisiana, is a dangerous liberal intent on continuing Barack Obama's presidency. Or something like that. Desparate times call for desperate measures, I suppose.

The Times-Picayune features this in-depth profile of the frontrunner for Louisiana governor, John Bel Edwards. Edwards, who is not related to the former governor, is campaigning as the "anti-Jindal," and thus far, it's a message that is resonating throughout the state.

Walter Jones, a veteran Republican Congressman, recently advised his fellow members not to run for leadership positions if they have "skeletons in their closets." Gee, I wonder who he could be talking about.

The Economist, a conservative publication with an international readership of 1.5 million, recently called for the removal of the confederate and white supremacist monuments in New Orleans. These are museum pieces, the publication asserts, that need to be in places where they can be studied, not celebrated.

Tyler Bridges blows the lid off of the Angelle campaign, exposing his close and problematic ties with the oil and gas industry. Angelle, who previously served as the head of the Department of Natural Resources, is currently an elected member of the Public Service Commission. During the last several years, Angelle has made hundreds of thousands of dollars from Sunoco Logistics, a pipeline company with extensive business in Louisiana.

This may be the most ridiculous thing Jindal has done so far in the presidential campaign, and that's saying a lot for a man who believed in non-existent no-go zones and arresting the mayors of so-called "sanctuary cities." In his most recent act of faux-outrage, Jindal attacks the father of the Oregon college shooter for speaking out in favor of gun control. His father, Jindal says, is the real problem, along with movies, music, video games, and abortion.

You read that correctly. Clinton recently sent her Republican challengers a copy of her book Hard Choices. She mailed a copy to Jindal's office, addressing it to "Piyush Jindal." Piyush is the governor's legal first name. He has gone by the nickname Bobby- after Bobby Brady- since the age of four.

John Bel Edwards, the frontrunner for Louisiana governor, and his wife Donna share the story of their daughter Samantha in this new campaign commercial. It's a provocative video and likely neutralizes the attacks against Edwards- made in the last debate by David Vitter- that he is secretly a big supporter of abortion.

Clancy Dubos of Gambit unpacks Bobby Jindal's presidential campaign strategy on WWL. In a word, it's "Iowa." Jindal recently "surged" to six points in Iowa polls, enough to give his campaign some reason for optimism but not quite enough to get him promoted to the big kid's table.

Tom Aswell of Louisiana Voice introduces us to Louisiana state police Lt. John Cannon, who is still making $115,000 despite multiple reprimands, including having sex in the back of his squad car, stealing satelittle television, not filing his daily reports, and ticket fixing. What does it take to get fired from the Louisiana state police?

Kenny Knight's friend Steve Scalise claims he has the votes lined up to become the next House Majority Leader. Scalise has attracted at least one other serious challenger and has renewed attention on his 2002 speech at a white supremacist conference. We'll know soon whether Scalise is telling the truth. Congress is set to vote on leadership in only a few short days.

Elizabeth Crisp received an advanced copy of Bobby Jindal's newest book, American Will. Apparently, the book is about why he should become the next president, which means it has almost nothing to do with his tenure as governor. Jindal's first book, Leadership in Crisis or Crisis of Leadership or something like that, was ghostwritten co-written by Curt Anderson, Jindal's campaign aide. In his newest book, Jindal thanks Anderson and Timmy Teepell.

Months ago, it looked as if David Vitter was going to run a different kind of campaign than he usually does. He spoke about expanding Medicaid; he took a nuanced position on Common Core, and he demonstrated a robust grasp of other issues. But, as Stephanie Grace points out, that version of Vitter didn't last long. Today, he is running a nasty, subtly racist, and vacuous campaign.

Gambit, Louisiana's largest alt-weekly publication, endorsed Lt. Gov Jay Dardenne's bid for governor. On Friday, Clancy DuBos explained the decision to Jim Engster, noting that its editorial board did not consider polling in their decision. Back in 2003, he said, Gambit endorsed Randy Ewing over Bobby Jindal and Kathleen Blanco.

John Bel Edwards, the leading Democratic candidate for Louisiana governor, is now ten points ahead of U.S. Sen. David Vitter, according to a new poll commissioned by NBC33. This is the fourth consecutive poll that shows Edwards, not Vitter, is actually the frontrunner in the election.

James Carville, the dean of Louisiana politics, excoriates WDSU for how they handled last week's gubernatorial debate. WDSU and moderator Scott Walker didn't want to talk about the budget, higher education, and the Louisiana coast. Instead, they spent more than half of the debate grilling the candidates on Kim Davis, Planned Parenthood, and marijuana. It wasn't just a waste of time; it was, as Bob Mann said, "journalistic malpractice."

Mike Henderson, the head honcho at LSU's Manship Lab, unpacks the most recent round of polls and asks whether it's really possible a Democrat could become the next governor of Louisiana. Spoiler: It's still a long shot.

Yesterday, I sat down with Alan Colmes of Fox News radio to discuss Steve Scalise's desire to become House Majority Leader, David Vitter's campaign for governor, and Bobby Jindal's bid for the White House.

Patricia Haynes Smith, a Democrat from Baton Rouge who was just re-elected without opposition, joined dozens of other elected officials throughout the country in a fundraising effort on behalf of Planned Parenthood. Smith, a Catholic, signed a full page ad published in The Washington Post urging Congress not to eliminate funding for the women's health organization.

Congressman Steve Scalise's bid to become House Majority Leader hit a major snag recently when his rival for the job, Tom Price, picked up two major endorsements: Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Jeb Hensarling of Texas.

John Bel Edwards is perceived as the most capable of putting aside partisan politics for the sake of the state, and David Vitter is considered the most likely to continue the policies of outgoing governor Bobby Jindal, according to a recent poll commissioned by The Advocate and WWL. In addition, 44% of voters are less likely to vote for Vitter because of his prostitution scandal.

Bobby Jindal can't catch a break. His one big celebrity endorsement- Willie Robertson of the show "Duck Dynasty"- recently defected to Team Donald Trump. Why? They're both rich reality TV stars with wives that are signifcantly better looking than they are, Willie says.

LSU Manship professor Bob Mann unpacks the most recent poll about the gubernatorial election. Vitter is no longer invinsible, he notes, but a scared David Vitter could be a dangerous David Vitter. This election is about to get much more interesting.

John Bel Edwards has been on a tear lately. Yesterday, two new polls showed him way ahead of David Vitter in a potential run-off election. Today, we learned that Edwards narrowly raised more money than David Vitter during the last cycle, hauling in $841,974 in cash and in-kind contributions.

Campaign finance reports were due yesterday, which means we finally know who is behind the "shady" (according to The Advocate) organization, the Louisiana Water Coalition PAC. Who is it? One Baton Rouge law firm.

Former state representative Derrick Shepherd cannot run for public office because he is a convicted felon, ruled an appeals court. Shepherd believes the law is unconstitutional, and he may be right. But the court did not rule on the constitutionality.

On the same day The Advocate declared David Vitter the frontrunner, a new poll by Public Policy Polling reveals that the Senator has been badly damaged by renewed criticism of his prostitution scandal. Vitter is popular with only 34% of voters and 28% of women.

Ever heard of CODOFIL? Well, apparently, even though he appoints members to its board, neither has Bobby Jindal. As the former Louisiana governor crisscrosses Iowa in his quixotic bid for president, he continues to preach about the need for assimilation, an ironic thing to champion, particularly if you're the governor of the great state of Louisiana.

Yesterday, James Carville delivered a passionate speech in front of 200 people in Baton Rouge about the need for quality political leadership in Louisiana. "Dallas will be here in 75 years. Indianapolis will be here in 75 years," he said. "But there's a chance the Louisiana coast won't be here in 75 yeards."

Former Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal believes a Muslim could be elected president, as long as that Muslim is a Christian. Bob Mann laments Gov. Jindal's lack of decency and immaturity, though, to be fair, those characteristics have propelled at least one other Republican presidential candidate to the very top.

Louisiana Rising, the political action committee associated with Republican gubernatorial candiate Scott Angelle, claims Angelle is within the margin of error and in striking distance of overtaking first place from U.S. Sen. David Vtter, and even though they may be self-interested, there's a reason to believe they could be spot on. During the last several weeks, Angelle has been pummeling Vitter on air and on the ground, and Vitter has not handled the criticism well. "According to the survey, the race currently stands at 24% Vitter, 21% Angelle, 20% Edwards, 10% Dardenne, 4% minor candidates and 21% undecided."

Truth be told: If this poll is accurate, Angelle and Edwards aren't really competing for the second spot in the run-off. They're competing for the first spot. Because if 21% of voters are truly undecided, it's difficult to imagine how they'd group disproportionately in favor of the most well-known candidate in the election, David Vitter. Vitter's voters, in other words, have likely already decided, and his numbers continue to plummet.

Gov. Jindal's refusal to accept federal medicaid expansion dollars was a disaster that disproportionaly affects poor and working-class minorities, leaving more than 190,000 Louisiana citizens uninsured and un-insurable, Secretary Clinton tells a rally in Baton Rouge yesterday morning. "He put ideology ahead of the well-being of the people and the families in this state," she said, to rapturous applause (this reporter was present at the rally, though I'm linking to the Associated Press coverage via The Times-Picayune).

Former First Lady, former U.S. Senator, former Secretary of State, and current candidate for U.S. President, Hillary Clinton spent yesterday in Baton Rouge. In the morning, Clinton appeared at a rally at an inner-city charter school in Baton Rouge with approximately 1,200 people cheering her on and young members of Louisiana Leaderhip Institutes's 170-person band serenading her with brass music.

SEP 21 Consistency can be comforting. So we'll be comforted that blogger Rod Dreher is back to complaining about the gays. In this post, he's talking about how "American imperialism" is being used to spread the (obscene, apparently) idea that being gay is not a crime. He even trots out the implication that, if you feel gay people shouldn't have to die for being gay, then you can't possibly care about poverty or any other issues. Lawdy.

SEP 21 All that Trump baiting was for naught. Bobby Jindal worked himself into a Twitter lather last week, trying to taunt Donald Trump into noticing (and, presumably, attacking) him. Trump didn't rise to the bait, and attacked another candidate instead. Now she's rocketing to the top of the polls, and Bobby's stuck in the rear, looking at 1 percent on the horizon again. You know what they say - if you're not the lead dog, the view never changes.

SEP 21 We LOVE it when bloggers laud each other. It's nice to see these guys supporting each other, rather than being nasty, mean and butthurt. (McKay, we're looking at you) In this post, blogger Tom Aswell gives props to Bob Mann for weeding out the noise and summing up the governor's race for us all.

SEP 21 Here's a post that will wake you up on a Monday morning. Erick Erickson is writing that it's time to give Bobby Jindal a shot at a big debate (99 percent of GOP voters disagree with ya, Erick, but okey dokey). He says Bobby's willing to be "principled." Huh. Is that like when you take a job running a state and then you're never there, except to hire unqualified people or to sell public property or to dismantled public systems? Because that ain't what it says in our dictionary.

SEP 21 Do you want a say in which poor bastard tries to clean up the mess Bobby Jindal is leaving behind after we quit paying him for a job he never did in the first place? If so, you better get your hiney down to the voter registration office, because Wednesday is the deadline to register if you want to vote in the October election, WDSU reports here.

SEP 18 When you have some time, you've got to take a minute to peruse this website. It's a survey of dancehalls around Louisiana, with photos and info about dancehalls that are still around and those that aren't, plus an option to tell your own dancehall story.

SEP 18 Here's Slate Magazine's take on the GOP "kids' table" debate Thursday night. Bottom line? Santorum and Jindal ranted about Kim Davis, and said rants were "completely insane." This is as opposed to partially insane, which it was our understanding was like being partially pregnant.

SEP 18 This post on Salon takes a look at Bobby Jindal - once a rising star in the GOP and now a fringe lunatic "town crier." When you read it laid out like this, it's kind of striking, the descent he's made. It doesn't seem so drastic to us, because we're too close to it.

SEP 11 Blogger Tom Aswell takes a look at recent activity over at Troop D, where he says State Police Commander Mike Edmonson is bringing down the hammer on the Lake Charles troop. The entire troop is under internal investigation, Aswell reports. Yikes.